Question

Discuss the methods our brain uses to determine the location of high-frequency sound and of low-frequency sound. Discuss why we need two different methods of sound localization.

Answer 1

The capacity to localising the sound depends on the two mechanism-

1. low frequency sound- mechanism- it involves the fact that sound coming from a source arrives at our ears at slightly different times.

Low frequency sound that comes from the noise making sources will enter the near ear first then it will bend around the head and will reach to the far ear a short time later than the the first ear.

so in this mechanism brain executes quick computation of sound for the location of sound.

2 high frequency sound - if a sounds comes from one side then nearer ear will hear it more loudly than the other and we can detect the location based on the differences of loudness of the sound in each ear.

high pitch sound involve the intensity differences through the sound waves travels  to the ear. high frequency sound waves do not band around the head like low frequency sound ,this waves directly reflect off at the surface of head. Because of this a sound which is coming from one side of the head will get the sound at greater intensity to nearer ear then another ear.

so in this mechanism brain uses intensity differences of sound.

two different methods of sound is important for the following reasons-

brain uses mechanism of intensity diferences,time differences, locationisation of sounds for giving natural and comfortable listening experiences.

it gives the security during traffic , we can easily identify the sound through the intensity and localization of sound and can prevent from accidental injury during driving, riding or cycling.