sensory organ - the ear
your sense of hearing
Our fourth sensory organ to explore is the ear. We began this study of our sense of hearing by asking questions we want to know about the ear. The 5th grade class will generate questions about the ear, our sense of hearing, and sound. As we find the answers to these questions they will be posted here and in the classroom.
Amazing Facts About Your Ears and Sense of Hearing
Explore: Videos We Watched in Class
Ears: KidsHealth.org
Bill Nye the Science Guy - Sound
Resonance: Tacoma Bridge Collapse
Why Physics Is Awesome: The Power Of Resonance!
Tacoma Narrows Bridge Collapse "Gallopin' Gertie"
Explain: Class Assignments and Study Guides
Learn About the Ear - reading handout
The Ear: Anatomy Study Guide - form and function
Bill Nye the Science Guy - Sound worksheet
Bill Nye the Science Guy - Sound worksheet answer key
Practice worksheets - anatomy of the ear
Amazing Facts About Your Ears and Sense of Hearing
- Our ears help us detect sound.
- Ears convert sound waves into nerve impulses that are sent to the brain.
- While your ears pick up the sound, it is your brain that does the hard work of making sense of it all.
- There is much more to the ear than the part you can see on the outside of your head.
- The middle part of the ear (behind the ear drum) amplifies sound pressure.
- The middle ear also contains the Eustachian tube which helps equalize pressure and drain mucus.
- Ear infections are more common in children because of their developing immune systems and differences between their Eustachian tubes and those of adults.
- The inner ear is found inside the temporal bone, the hardest bone in the human body.
- The inner ear contains the spiral shaped hearing organ called the cochlea as well as the vestibule and semicircular canals which help with balance.
- Sounds waves are passed from air to liquid in the inner air. The inner air also contains tiny hair cells which react to sound waves, triggering chemicals that are sent to the brain as nerve impulses.
- Abnormalities in the inner ear of humans can cause deafness.
- Skin glands in the ear canal produce ear wax which helps protect the ear by lubricating it and cleaning it of dirt and dust.
- Excessive ear wax can impair hearing, especially if it is pressed hard against the eardrum.
- Ear wax normally comes out of your ear naturally so it’s not a good idea to try and remove it yourself unless it is causing health problems (best to see your doctor first).
- Piercing earlobes and ornamenting them with jewelry has been common practice around the world for thousands of years for both for cultural and cosmetic reasons.
Explore: Videos We Watched in Class
Ears: KidsHealth.org
Bill Nye the Science Guy - Sound
Resonance: Tacoma Bridge Collapse
Why Physics Is Awesome: The Power Of Resonance!
Tacoma Narrows Bridge Collapse "Gallopin' Gertie"
Explain: Class Assignments and Study Guides
Learn About the Ear - reading handout
The Ear: Anatomy Study Guide - form and function
Bill Nye the Science Guy - Sound worksheet
Bill Nye the Science Guy - Sound worksheet answer key
Practice worksheets - anatomy of the ear
Extend Yourself : Hands-On Explorations We Do In Class
Exploration Activities - Your Ears and Your Sense of Hearing
Reference
Sound No. 1
Sound No. 2
Sound No. 3
Sound No. 4
Sound No. 5
Sound No. 6 (train)
Sound No. 7 (gonged gonging)
Sound No. 8 (firework)
Sound Nos. 9 (broken glass )
Sound No. 10 (ice cream truck)
Animal Sounds
More Animal Sounds
Other Possible Mystery Noises:
ALL ABOUT SOUND: SOUND FACTS
1. There are a variety of sounds in our environment. Sounds have characteristics, such as loudness, pitch and quality (or “timbre”), that allow them to be identified.
2. For sound to occur, there must be a vibrating object, a material through which the vibrations are transferred (for example, air or water), and a receiver (for example, an ear) to perceive the sound.
3. Objects can be caused to vibrate by actions such as striking, strumming, bowing, plucking or blowing.
4. Sounds can vary in loudness (“volume”). Volume is affected by the strength of the force causing the vibration. For example, striking a drum forcefully or gently produces sounds with different volumes.
5. Sounds can have a high or low tone (“pitch”). The pitch of a sound depends on the speed of the vibration. Objects that vibrate quickly have a high pitch, while those that vibrate slowly have a low pitch.
6. Pitch is affected by characteristics such as the shape, length, tension or thickness of the vibrating material (for example, the vibrating material may be a string, a glass, a wire or a drum).
7. Sound travels (is “transmitted”) through materials by causing them to vibrate. Sound is not transmitted if there are no materials to vibrate. Solids, liquids and gases (air) transmit sound differently.
8. Sounds can be reflected or absorbed (not transmitted), depending on the properties of the material it hits. Sound tends to bounce off smooth, hard surfaces, producing an echo; sound tends to be absorbed by soft, porous surfaces, producing a muffled sound.
HOW DO WE DESCRIBE A SOUND WAVE?
Exploration Activities - Your Ears and Your Sense of Hearing
Reference
Sound No. 1
Sound No. 2
Sound No. 3
Sound No. 4
Sound No. 5
Sound No. 6 (train)
Sound No. 7 (gonged gonging)
Sound No. 8 (firework)
Sound Nos. 9 (broken glass )
Sound No. 10 (ice cream truck)
Animal Sounds
More Animal Sounds
Other Possible Mystery Noises:
- Shake pennies or other coins
- Clap hands
- Clap chalkboard erasers
- Tap a pencil or pen on a desk
- Close a book
- Crumple up paper or foil
- Stomp on the floor
- Tear some paper
- Close a stapler
- Bounce a ball
ALL ABOUT SOUND: SOUND FACTS
1. There are a variety of sounds in our environment. Sounds have characteristics, such as loudness, pitch and quality (or “timbre”), that allow them to be identified.
2. For sound to occur, there must be a vibrating object, a material through which the vibrations are transferred (for example, air or water), and a receiver (for example, an ear) to perceive the sound.
3. Objects can be caused to vibrate by actions such as striking, strumming, bowing, plucking or blowing.
4. Sounds can vary in loudness (“volume”). Volume is affected by the strength of the force causing the vibration. For example, striking a drum forcefully or gently produces sounds with different volumes.
5. Sounds can have a high or low tone (“pitch”). The pitch of a sound depends on the speed of the vibration. Objects that vibrate quickly have a high pitch, while those that vibrate slowly have a low pitch.
6. Pitch is affected by characteristics such as the shape, length, tension or thickness of the vibrating material (for example, the vibrating material may be a string, a glass, a wire or a drum).
7. Sound travels (is “transmitted”) through materials by causing them to vibrate. Sound is not transmitted if there are no materials to vibrate. Solids, liquids and gases (air) transmit sound differently.
8. Sounds can be reflected or absorbed (not transmitted), depending on the properties of the material it hits. Sound tends to bounce off smooth, hard surfaces, producing an echo; sound tends to be absorbed by soft, porous surfaces, producing a muffled sound.
HOW DO WE DESCRIBE A SOUND WAVE?