.gif)
Hearing (sense)
Overview
Hearing is the ability to perceive sound
by detecting vibration
s through an organ such as the ear
. It is one of the traditional five sense
s. The inability to hear is called deafness.
In humans and other vertebrates, hearing is performed primarily by the auditory system
: vibrations are detected by the ear
and transduced into nerve impulses that are perceived by the brain
(primarily in the temporal lobe
). Like touch, audition requires sensitivity to the movement of molecules in the world outside the organism.
Sound
Sound is a mechanical wave that is an oscillation of pressure transmitted through a solid, liquid, or gas, composed of frequencies within the range of hearing and of a level sufficiently strong to be heard, or the sensation stimulated in organs of hearing by such vibrations.-Propagation of...
by detecting vibration
Vibration
Vibration refers to mechanical oscillations about an equilibrium point. The oscillations may be periodic such as the motion of a pendulum or random such as the movement of a tire on a gravel road.Vibration is occasionally "desirable"...
s through an organ such as the ear
Ear
The ear is the organ that detects sound. It not only receives sound, but also aids in balance and body position. The ear is part of the auditory system....
. It is one of the traditional five sense
Sense
Senses are physiological capacities of organisms that provide inputs for perception. The senses and their operation, classification, and theory are overlapping topics studied by a variety of fields, most notably neuroscience, cognitive psychology , and philosophy of perception...
s. The inability to hear is called deafness.
In humans and other vertebrates, hearing is performed primarily by the auditory system
Auditory system
The auditory system is the sensory system for the sense of hearing.- Outer ear :The folds of cartilage surrounding the ear canal are called the pinna...
: vibrations are detected by the ear
Ear
The ear is the organ that detects sound. It not only receives sound, but also aids in balance and body position. The ear is part of the auditory system....
and transduced into nerve impulses that are perceived by the brain
Brain
The brain is the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals—only a few primitive invertebrates such as sponges, jellyfish, sea squirts and starfishes do not have one. It is located in the head, usually close to primary sensory apparatus such as vision, hearing,...
(primarily in the temporal lobe
Temporal lobe
The temporal lobe is a region of the cerebral cortex that is located beneath the Sylvian fissure on both cerebral hemispheres of the mammalian brain....
). Like touch, audition requires sensitivity to the movement of molecules in the world outside the organism.
Unanswered Questions
