Biology is designed for multi-semester biology courses for science majors. It is grounded on an evolutionary basis and includes exciting features that highlight careers in the biological sciences and everyday applications of the concepts at hand. To meet the needs of today’s instructors and students, some content has been strategically condensed while maintaining the overall scope and coverage of traditional texts for this course. Instructors can customize the book, adapting it to the approach that works best in their classroom. Biology also includes an innovative art program that incorporates critical thinking and clicker questions to help students understand—and apply—key concepts.

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Describe the relationship of amplitude and frequency of a sound wave to attributes of soundTrace the path of sound through the auditory system to the site of transduction of soundIdentify the structures of the vestibular system that respond to gravity

Explores the theory and practice of scientific modeling in the context of auditory and speech biophysics. Based principally on seminar-style discussions of the research literature, subject draws on examples from hearing and speech (e.g., cochlear and vocal-fold mechanics) to explore general, meta-theoretical issues that transcend the particular subject matter. Examples include: What is a model? What is the process of model building? What are the different approaches to modeling? What is the relationship between theory and experiment? How are models tested? What constitutes a good model?

Experimental approaches to the study of the auditory periphery, presented through lectures by faculty and presentations of primary literature by students. Topics include: functional anatomy of the inner ear, transduction by hair cells, synaptic transmission, endocochlear potential, outer hair cells and their electromotility, responses of auditory nerve fibers, efferent control of cochlear function, inner-ear development, and damage and repair of hair-cell organs. Evaluations of students based on oral and written presentations, laboratory exercises, a final examination, and participation in discussions.

Physical and physiological mechanisms underlying the transduction and analysis of acoustic signals in the auditory periphery. Topics include the acoustics, mechanics, and hydrodynamics of sound transmission; the biophysical basis for cochlear amplification; the physiology of hair-cell transduction and synaptic transmission; efferent feedback control; the analysis and coding of simple and complex sounds by the inner ear; and the physiological bases for hearing disorders. Based primarily on reading and discussions of original research literature. Topics for this course are based primarily on reading and discussions of original research literature that cover the analysis as well as the underlying physical and physiological mechanisms of acoustic signals in the auditory periphery. Topics include the acoustics, mechanics, and hydrodynamics of sound transmission; the biophysical basis for cochlear amplification; the physiology of hair-cell transduction and synaptic transmission; efferent feedback control; the analysis and coding of simple and complex sounds by the inner ear; and the physiological bases for hearing disorders.