Expert: Walter Hintz - 1/13/2006

Question
desribe how the sound of your friends voice is converted into nervous impulses to be sent to the brain. Why is it that you can hear your friends voice through the noise of other conversations going on around you?

Answer
The first question involves the anatomy and physiology of the ear.  To summerize the air vibrations cause cause vibrations on the typanum.  These vibrations cause waves in the fluid in the inner ear affecting the auditory nerve.These auditory nerve inpulses are transmitted to the area of the brain were they are interpreted.  Picking out a friends voice involes stored memories of the particular voice in question.