Appareil neurologique et organes des sens

Biophysique de l’audition
ED Biophysique
English version

Pr. Ag. GUEZGUEZ Mohsen

Biophysique et medecine nucleaire
 Part I EXERCISES

Question 1
What is the pitch interval between two pure sounds in
octaves and in savarts ?. The respective frequencies are
500 and 1000 HZ.
 PITCH OR TONE

Definition

Pitch Is a physiologic parameter related to the sensation

low or high pitched given by a sound
Pitch is perceived as how "low" or "high" a sound is

Units

In music

The octave

One octave is the sensation difference between two sounds with N2/N1 = 2

In practice

Do Ré Mi Fa Sol La Si Do

Exemple : the pitch difference between a 1000Hz and a 500 Hz sounds

with the same acoustic power.

 PITCH OR TONE

Units
N
One octave correspond to 1
N

Other unit : the Savart

One octave ≈ 300 savarts.

The Savart is a H that correspond to

N 1

N 300
The Comma is a H that correspond to
N 1

N 80
In our case the frequency ratio between the two sounds is :

So the pitch intervall is 1 octave

1 octave is equal to 301 savart

So the pitch intervall is equal to 301 savart

 EXERCICE 2
Using the Equal loudness curves ( courbes de Wegel), explain why the dB

can’t be used as unit of loudness (sonie)? Which unit can we use

instead?
 LOUDNESS OR INTENSITY
(Sonie ou Sonorie)
Definition

Loudness is the subjective perception of sound pressure or intensity.

In simple terms,
is to attribute an auditory sensation that permit to order sounds from quiet to loud
Absolute threshold

The absolute threshold is the minimum sound level that can be heared
It correspond to the basement acoustic power.

Depends on frequency
 Absolute threshold
W I dB
watt/m2
1 120 x x x x x x x x x x Painfull
threshold
10-8 A
80 ireauditif
de tonal
Champ
convers x Absolute
x atio n threshold
x
x x
x
x
10 -12
0 N
x x
2 100 1000 x 5.000 10.000 20.000
0

Wegel diagramm, giving the absolute threshold audible

related to frequency N
 LOUDNESS OR INTENSITY

Power level differential threshold

The absolute acoustic power differential threshold is the

smallest acoustic power difference ΔW that lead to a just
different loudness sensation.

According to acoustic Weber law and for a defined frequency

W
 cte
W
Let S be the unitary loudness sensation level, S = cte for a defined frequency

  k W
S 10  Log10
10 W0

S  k 'I (dB )
The Loudness (S) is proportional to I(dB)

For 1000 Hz, S = I

 Loudness unit is
Phone / Sone

For 1000 Hz
S(phone) = I(dB)
Same value but different units
A 1000 Hz sound is the reference sound

For others frequencies, 0 phone is the minimum audible

The absolute threshold curve is the zero phone curve
 Equal loudness curves
I dB

120 x x x x x x x x x x

80 x 80 phones 20 phones
x
x x0 phones
x x 60 phones
x x x
x x x 40 phones
x x
x x 20 phones x
x x
0 x x N
2 1000 x 5.000 20.000
0

Lets try to find the acoustic power level giving the same loudness feeling
than 20 phones of 1000Hz for others frequencies.
 Equal loudness curves

I dB S phone

120 120

80
80
60
40
20

0 0 N
1000 5.000 20.000
According to theses curves 0dB can be audible and can be non audible
(according to the frequency)
At the opposite 0 phone is always audible for any frequency.

The loudness intervall between two sounds depend on frequency : 20

phones is 20 dB at 1000Hz and 10 dB at 50 Hz
 Exercise 3
Two sounds S1 and S2 with the same area acoustic power W= 10-6
Watt.m-2, their respective frequencies are F1 = 1000 Hz et F2 = 100 Hz

a- Calculate the sound power level of the S1 and S2 sounds.

b- What is the loudness level of S1? Does S2 sound have the same
loudness level?

c- If these sounds are emitted simultaniously, which one can cover

(masks) the other?
Then Using the vibratory proprieties of the basillary membrane explain
how.
a- Calculate the sound power level of the S1 and S2 sounds.

W1= W2 = W = 10-6 Watt.m-2

F1 = 1000 Hz F2 = 100 Hz

  W0= 10-12 Watt.m-2

 
b- What is the loudness level of S1? Does S2 sound have the same loudness
level?

- For the sound S1, F1 = 1000 Hz, Loudness level S1 = 60 phones

(for 1000Hz, 1dB =1phone)

- For the sound S2,

F2 = 100 Hz,
Loudness level S1 ?

We need the
equal loudness curves.

S2≈ 40 dB ≠ 60 dB
c- If these sounds are emitted simultaniously, which one can cover
(masks) the other?

Low frequency sounds can easily mask high frequency sounds.

So S2 will masks S1 sound.

Then Using the vibratory proprieties of the basillary membrane explain

how.
Basillary membrane is :
More tight and more rigid at the basis than apex
So
Vibration amplitude is more important at the apex
apex
basis
 Then using the vibratory proprieties of the basillary membrane explain
how.

Low pitched sound ► vibration of all the basillary membrane, with

maximum amplitude at the apex.
High pitched sound ► vibration of the basis only, with a lesser amplitude.

apex
base

In case of simultaneous stimuli with both sounds :

Vibration due to high pitched sound is negligible
compared to
the vibration due to low pitched sound.
 EXERCISE 4

A sound source emit 50dB sound.

Calculate the acoustic power level of 04 identical
sources which emit simultaneously.

How many sources are needed to reach 60 dB and

100 dB ?
Calculate the acoustic power level of 04 identical sources
which emit simultaneously.

For 1 source,
W1 is the acoustic power per unit of surface.

The acoustic power level I1 is

  with W0 = 10-12 Watt.m-2

Or W4 = 4W1  

 
How many sources are needed to reach 60 dB and 100 dB ?

To reach 60 dB we need n sources

 
Then 60 = 10 log n + 50 ; 10 log n = 10
Log n =1 so n = 101 = 10 sound sources

To reach 100 dB we need n sources

 
Then 100 = 10 log n + 50 ; 10 log n = 50
Log n =5 so n = 105 = 100.000 sound sources
 EXERCISE 5

In a patient, a weber test is lateralized to the right ear.

1- what kind of hearing lost can have this patient ?

2- what other acoumetric test can be performed to identify the

hearing lost side (right or left) and type?

3- is an audiogramm recommanded? Explain why.

4- if we consider that this patient have a damage to the

auditory ossicles, how to interpret the result of the Weber test.
What is the expected result of the pure-tone audiometry?
 Hearing subjective exploration (Subjective tests)
Acumetry

simple and rapid tests  diagnostic orientation (type of deafness)

Using the tunning fork
But results are qualitatives
Several tests
WEBER Test

Technical aspect
D G
Right Left

BONE CONDUCTION
 WEBER Test
In practice
50 55 60

250 Hz 500 Hz 1000 Hz 2000 Hz 3000 Hz 4000 Hz 6000 Hz

 WEBER Test
Results

D G

 

Normal person

No lateralization

Normal hearing will produce equal sound in both ears

 WEBER Test
Results

R L R L

   

Transmission (conductive) deafness Transmission (conductive) deafness

Of the left side Of the right side

WEBER Lateralized to the affected side

 WEBER Test
Results

R L R L

   

Perception (Sensorineural) Perception (Sensorineural)

Deafness of the right side Deafness of the left side

WEBER Lateralized to the non affected side

 WEBER Test
Results

D G

 

Bilateral and symmetrical transmission or perception deafness

No Lateralization
1 weber test is lateralized to the right ear ; we have two situations :

* Transmission deafness of the right ear ( damage to the outer or middle ear)

* Perception deafness of the left ear ( damage to the inner ear )

2 what other acoumetric test can be performed to identify the hearing lost side
(right or left) and type?
Rinne Test can be useful to identify the deafness type
This test is based on using a vibrating fork to mesure the air (ACD) and bone
(BCD) conduction for each ear.
Hearing subjective exploration (Subjective tests)

Acumetry

RINNE TEST

Technic

Place a vibrating tunning

fork near the ear canal

Mesure the listening time
(AC)

Place a vibrating tuning
fork against mastoid bone

mesure the listening time
(BC)
 Hearing subjective exploration (Subjective tests)
Acumetry
RINNE Test

Normal case
CONDUCTION OSSEUSE
AC > BC
( Quality + duration )
AC/BC  3

Transmission deafness
AC, BC Normal Droite
( Quality + duration )
AC/BC < 3 CONDUCTION AERIENNE
RINNE test : Negative

Perception deafness
AC, BC
( Quality + duration ) Droite
AC/BC  3

A diagnostic test for transmission deafness

For a normal person, ACD is superior to BCD, and the ratio ACD/BCD is near 3

For a patient with transmission deafness. : ACD is reduced but the BCD is normal,
with an ACD/BCD ratio < 3. in this case the Rinne Test is négative.

For a patient with perception deafness. : both ACD and BCD are reduced, with an
ACD/BCD ratio is near 3. in this case the Rinne Test is non contributory.

• Weber and Rinne tests are called acoumetric tests. They can identify a
deafness and give an idea about the deafness type.
• If a deafness is suspected, others tests are mandatory to confirm the
deafness, identify it’s type and quantify it’s importance : Audiometry test
 Yes an audiogramm is recommanded, we have to perform a :

PURE TONE AUDIOMETRY

Determine for each ear and ear by ear

The absolute hearing threshold for several frequencies
In Air and Bone conduction
Air Conduction (AC)  earphones on ears
Bone Conduction (BC)  vibrator put on mastoïd bone.

Device : audiometers
Mesure the hearing loss in dB compared to normal person
Scale in relatifs dB (lost dB)
Value in normal person ? 0 dB loss
Hypoacusis (hearing loss) : n dB loss, n > 0
Hyperacusis : -n dB loss, n > 0
These mesures are taken for several frequencies
4- if we consider that this patient have a damage to the auditory
ossicles, how to interpret the result of the Weber test. What is
the expected result of the pure-tone audiometry?

A damage to the auditory ossicles (middle ear) lead to a

transmission deafness

Weber test is laterelized to the damaged ear (R Ear in our case) :

it’s a transmission deafness.

Audiogramm obtained by PURE TONE AUDIOMETRY shows a transmission

deafness with a decreased air conduction (damage to the auditory ossicles in the
middle ear) and a normal bone conduction ( the inner ear is normal).

These are the audiogramm curves :

 PURE TONE AUDIOMETRY
Transmission deafness
250 500 1000 2000 3000 4000 6000
-10
-5
0 X X X X X X : BC RE
5 X X
10  : AC RE
15
20   
25    
30
35
40
45
50
55
60
65
70
75
…
 EXERCISE 6
Two tunning fork with a maintained vibration, emit two sounds with the same
acoustic power level ( 30 dB above absolute threshold ), but with different
frequencies N1 = 441Hz, and N2= 435Hz.

We consider two patients with the same absolute loudness threshold (Normal) but
with different Frequency differential threshold N/N.
for the first patient N/N = 1/80 ; for the second, N/N = 1/20.

These patient will listen to both sounds successively. Can they distinguish between
the two sounds?
 lets calculate the Frequency differential threshold between these sounds:

For the first patient  

So the first patient can distinguish between the two sounds

For the second patient the value of  

The second patient can’t distinguish between the two sounds

in others terms

So the first patient can distinguish between the two sounds

the first patient need __ Hz to distinguish between two sounds ?

The second patient can’t distinguish between the two sounds

 EXERCISE 7
A sound source emits a complex sound composed of 3 acoustic waves with
respective frequencies 250Hz, 500Hz and 1000Hz.

a) The acoustic power level of the fundamental frequency sound

(N= 250 Hz) is 40 dB.
Calculate the acoustic power per unit of area. ( W0= 10-12watt.m-2 ).

b) We supposed that sound level decrease of 10 dB every time the frequency

is multiplied by 2.
Calculate the acoustic power per unit of area for 500 et 1000Hz sounds.
A complex sound is composed by layering several sinusoidal sounds
with different frequencies.

a) The acoustic power level of the fundamental frequency sound

(N= 250 Hz) is 40 dB.
Calculate the acoustic power per unit of area. ( W0= 10-12watt.m-2 ).

     

 
b) We supposed that sound level decrease of 10 dB every time the
frequency is multiplied by 2.
Calculate the acoustic power per unit of area for 500 et 1000Hz sounds.

     

 
 Part II MCQ
Question 1

The relation between frequency and pitch sensation is given by the formula :
F 
H 1  H 2  K  log 1 
 F2 

A- this relation is available for validity intervall of Weber law

B- this relation is applicable for all audible frequencies
C- the pitsh sensation H is without unit.
D- the pitch sensation unit is the Hertz (Hz) ( like frequency)
E- the pitch sensation unit is the octave or the savart
 PITCH OR TONE

Frequency differentiel
N threshold
N

N 1
 Normal Subject
N 80
N 1
 Musical ear
N 1000
1
80

N(Hz)
20 200 10K 20K

Weber acoustic law

 Part II MCQ
Question 1

The relation between frequency and pitch sensation is given by the formula :
F 
H 1  H 2  K  log 1 
 F2 

A- this relation is available for validity intervall of Weber law

B- this relation is applicable for all audible frequencies
C- the pitsh sensation H is without unit.
D- the pitch sensation unit is the Hertz (Hz) ( like frequency)
E- the pitch sensation unit is the octave or the savart
 Question 2

L'orientation auditive :

A- permet la localisation de la source sonore dans l'espace

B- est meilleure pour l'orientation droite / gauche

C- est meilleure pour l'orientation Haut / Bas

D- est basée sur la différence d'intensité au niveau des deux oreilles pour
les hautes fréquences ( F >3000 Hz )

E- est basée sur la différence de phase pour les sons graves ( F < 800 Hz )
 Question 2

L'orientation auditive :

A- permet la localisation de la source sonore dans l'espace

B- est meilleure pour l'orientation droite / gauche

C- est meilleure pour l'orientation Haut / Bas

D- est basée sur la différence d'intensité au niveau des deux oreilles pour
les hautes fréquences ( F >3000 Hz )

E- est basée sur la différence de phase pour les sons graves ( F < 800 Hz )
 Question 3

Two sounds S1 and S2 with the same acoustic power per unit of area
W = 10-6 Watt.m-2. the respective frequencies are N1 = 1000 Hz and N2 =
6000 Hz.

A- S1 and S2 have the same loudness.

B- The sound S1 have a loudness level equal to the acoustic power par unit
of area.
C. The two sounds have the same acoustic power level.
D. The acoustic power level of the sound S2 is 60 dB.
E. If both sounds are emitted simultaniously, S2 can mask S1.
 Question 3

Two sounds S1 and S2 with the same acoustic power per unit of area
W = 10-6 Watt.m-2. the respective frequencies are N1 = 1000 Hz and N2 =
6000 Hz.

A- S1 and S2 have the same loudness.

B- The sound S1 have a loudness level equal to the acoustic power par unit
of area.
C. The two sounds have the same acoustic power level.
D. The acoustic power level of the sound S2 is 60 dB.
E. If both sounds are emitted simultaniously, S2 can mask S1.
 Question 4

A subject has just spent two hours in a very noisy factory, he notices
that his hearing is hampered (hearing loss) :
• A. it is a hearing fatigue.

• B. it is a masking effect
• C. this patient have a transient perceptive (sensorineural) deafness.

• D. this patient have a transient transmission deafness.

• E. the attack mainly affects low frequencies.

 Question 4

A subject has just spent two hours in a very noisy factory, he notices
that his hearing is hampered (hearing loss) :
• A. it is a hearing fatigue.

• B. it is a masking effect
• C. this patient have a transient perceptive (sensorineural) deafness.

• D. this patient have a transient transmission deafness.

• E. the attack mainly affects low frequencies.

Question 5

• A source emit a 50 dB sound, the acoustic power level of 10

identical sources is about

• A. 100 dB
• B. 60 dB
• C. 106 dB
• D. 500 dB
• E. 56 dB.
Question 5

• A source emit a 50 dB sound, the acoustic power level of 10

identical sources is about

• A. 100 dB
• B. 60 dB
• C. 106 dB
• D. 500 dB
• E. 56 dB.
Question 6

• Acoustic impedence adaptation :

• A. is provided by the middle ear
• B. permit to have better efficiency of sound power transmission to
liquid media of the inner ear.
• C. consists of equalizing the acoustic impedences of the air and
the inner ear.
• D. is done by an acoustic pressure amplification.
• E. involves the Lever system (système levier) of the ossicles.
Question 6

• Acoustic impedence adaptation :

• A. is provided by the middle ear
• B. permit to have better efficiency of sound power transmission to
liquid media of the inner ear.
• C. consists of equalizing the acoustic impedences of the air and
the inner ear.
• D. is done by an acoustic pressure amplification.
• E. involves the Lever system (système levier) of the ossicles.
 Question 7

• The basillary membrane :

• A. is an unstretched elestic membrane
• B. is subjected to longitudinal vibration
• C. vibrates with greater amplitude for low pitched (bass) sounds

• D. the vibrations are more closer to the basis for high-pitched

(trebble) sounds.
• E. near fully vibrates for low pitched (bass) sounds.
 Question 7

• The basillary membrane :

• A. is an unstretched elestic membrane
• B. is subjected to longitudinal vibration
• C. vibrates with greater amplitude for low pitched (bass) sounds

• D. the vibrations are more closer to the basis for high-pitched

(trebble) sounds.
• E. near fully vibrates for low pitched (bass) sounds.
Question 8

• In a patient the Weber test is lateralized to the right side Rinne

test is non contributory (not negative). This patient has probably :
• A. Left transmission deafness
• B. Right transmission deafness

• C. Left perception deafness.

• D. Right perception deafness.
• E. bilateral transmission deafness.
Question 8

• In a patient the Weber test is lateralized to the right side Rinne

test is non contributory (not negative). This patient has probably :
• A. Left transmission deafness
• B. Right transmission deafness

• C. Left perception deafness.

• D. Right perception deafness.
• E. bilateral transmission deafness.
Question 9

• Two sounds S1 and S2 with the same acoustic power per unit
area W= 10-6 Watt.m-2. their respective frequencies are F1 =
1000Hz, F2 = 6000Hz.
• A. the sound S1 have a loudness level about 60 phones
• B. both sounds have the same acoustic power level.
• C. the acoustic powwer level for S2 is about 60dB.

• D. both sounds have the same loudness level

• E. if both sounds are emitted simultaniously S2 will masks S1.
Question 9

• Two sounds S1 and S2 with the same acoustic power per unit
area W= 10-6 Watt.m-2. their respective frequencies are F1 =
1000Hz, F2 = 6000Hz.
• A. the sound S1 have a loudness level about 60 phones
• B. both sounds have the same acoustic power level.
• C. the acoustic powwer level for S2 is about 60dB.

• D. both sounds have the same loudness level

• E. if both sounds are emitted simultaniously S2 will masks S1.
Thanks for your attention