Question
We can describe sounds by qualities like pitch and volume. But how do people hear sounds? The ears collect sounds and send them to the brain. The outer ear is the part of the ear that is visible. Its job is to collect sound waves and direct them to the middle ear. The eardrum, which separates the outer ear from the middle ear, is a thin piece of skin stretched tight that vibrates when sound waves reach it. From there, three small bones, the tiniest bones in the body, send the sound waves along to the inner ear. When the last bone hits the cochlea in the inner ear, fluid inside the cochlea moves. This movement causes the hearing nerve to carry a message to the brain.
Based on this passage, which of the following is an accurate summary of how people hear sounds?
A
A sound is passed from the outer ear to the middle ear and then to the inner ear as a vibration. In the inner ear, the vibration causes a series of movements ending in fluid motion that triggers a nerve to carry a message to the brain.
B
A sound is collected by the ear drum and sent to the cochlea where it is converted into a nerve signal. Fluid carries that signal to the brain.
C
A sound is collected by the outer ear and sent to the cochlea as a nerve signal. The signal is processed by fluid in the cochlea as the sound a person hears.
D
A sound is passed from the inner ear to the middle ear and then to the outer ear, where the eardrum vibrates. This vibration triggers the brain to send a signal to a nerve.
Based on this passage, which of the following is an accurate summary of how people hear sounds?
A
A sound is passed from the outer ear to the middle ear and then to the inner ear as a vibration. In the inner ear, the vibration causes a series of movements ending in fluid motion that triggers a nerve to carry a message to the brain.
B
A sound is collected by the ear drum and sent to the cochlea where it is converted into a nerve signal. Fluid carries that signal to the brain.
C
A sound is collected by the outer ear and sent to the cochlea as a nerve signal. The signal is processed by fluid in the cochlea as the sound a person hears.
D
A sound is passed from the inner ear to the middle ear and then to the outer ear, where the eardrum vibrates. This vibration triggers the brain to send a signal to a nerve.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The most accurate summary of how people hear sounds based on the provided passage is:
**A**
A sound is passed from the outer ear to the middle ear and then to the inner ear as a vibration. In the inner ear, the vibration causes a series of movements ending in fluid motion that triggers a nerve to carry a message to the brain.
This option captures the sequence of sound transmission from the outer ear through the middle ear to the inner ear, as well as the process by which vibrations lead to fluid movement and the triggering of the hearing nerve to send a message to the brain.
**A**
A sound is passed from the outer ear to the middle ear and then to the inner ear as a vibration. In the inner ear, the vibration causes a series of movements ending in fluid motion that triggers a nerve to carry a message to the brain.
This option captures the sequence of sound transmission from the outer ear through the middle ear to the inner ear, as well as the process by which vibrations lead to fluid movement and the triggering of the hearing nerve to send a message to the brain.