Question

Infants and small children have a substantially shorter ear canal. What effect would you expect this to have on their sensitivity to different frequencies? Select the correct answer The different length of ear canal should have no effect O on frequency perception because the speed of sound is the same regardless. The different length of ear canal should have no effect on frequency perception because only the resonant wavelength and not the frequency will change. Your Answet They should be more sensitive to lower frequencies because of resonance in the ear canal They should be more sensitive to higher frequencies because of resonance in the ear canal

Answer 1

We know that

f = v/2L

so, with same speed of sound, frequency is inversely related to length of the tube

We can say that the smaller the ear canal is, the more amplification in the higher frequencies.

Infants and small children have small ear canals and are therefore typically more sensitive to high frequency sounds.