Homework Help Forum: Physics

Posted by A, on Saturday, November 7, 2009 at 8:53pm.

A child has an ear canal that is 1.3cm long. At what sound frequencies in the audible range will the child have increased hearing sensitivity?

• Physics - drwls, Saturday, November 7, 2009 at 9:01pm

  There will be enhanced sensitivity whenever the sound frequency corresponds to a fundamental or harmonic of an organ pipe with one open end and one closed end, 1.3 cm long. This will excite resonant oscillations within the ear

  
  

• Physics - A,, Saturday, November 7, 2009 at 9:04pm

  i appreciated your work... but how do i get answer in Hz.

  
  

• Physics - drwls, Saturday, November 7, 2009 at 9:59pm

  There will be resonance whenever the 1.3 cm ear canal length equals an odd number of quarter wavelengths (1, 3, 5 etc.). For the fundamental resonant frequency, wavelength = 4x1.3 = 5.2 cm. Divide the sound speed (about 30,000 cm/s) by that wavelength for the frequency in Hz. Check my thinking. I may have the fundamental resonant wavelength wrong.

  
  

• Physics - Jimmy, Sunday, November 8, 2009 at 2:58am

  I didnt quite follow ...

  
  

Answer this Question

First Name:
School Subject:
Answer:

For Further Reading