MCAT Basics (from MedSchoolCoach) Sound and Hearing
Mar 18, 2025
Dive into the fascinating world of sound and hearing! Discover how sound waves travel and the physics behind pitch and frequency. Learn about the speed of sound across different mediums and explore ultrasound imaging techniques. Uncover the intricacies of ear anatomy, from the outer ear to the tiny hair cells in the inner ear that help us perceive sound. Each topic is crucial for understanding key concepts on your upcoming exams!
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Sound Is A Longitudinal Pressure Wave
- Sound waves are longitudinal pressure variations that travel through a medium by compressions and rarefactions.
- They require a material medium with mass to propagate, unlike light photons.
Wavelength And Frequency Trade Off
- Wavelength and frequency are inversely related because wave speed in a medium is constant: speed = wavelength × frequency.
- Low-frequency sounds have long wavelengths and high-frequency sounds have short wavelengths.
What Controls Sound Speed
- Speed of sound depends on bulk modulus (resistance to compression) and density: v = sqrt(k/ρ).
- Sound travels fastest in solids, then liquids, and slowest in gases, with bulk modulus dominating.