What frequency is the ear most sensitive to?

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Jeffrey - 20 Dec 2005 05:28 GMT

What frequency is the ear most sensitive to?

I have seen estimates online ranging from 1000hz-3000hz to
500hz-5000hz. That is quite a wide range, but I would like to know if
there is a narrower range of frequency the ear is most sensitive to.

Also, I'm curious to know how sensitivity is defined. Does sensitivity
just mean the ear has the most sensors for that frequency? Or does it
mean a person responds the fastest to that sound?

Thanks,
Jeffrey

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Daniel Ganek - 20 Dec 2005 15:56 GMT

> What frequency is the ear most sensitive to?
>
> I have seen estimates online ranging from 1000hz-3000hz to
> 500hz-5000hz. That is quite a wide range, but I would like to know if
> there is a narrower range of frequency the ear is most sensitive to.

Without defining sensitivity your question is meaningless. So, you need
to get an answer to your next question first.

> Also, I'm curious to know how sensitivity is defined. Does sensitivity
> just mean the ear has the most sensors for that frequency? Or does it
> mean a person responds the fastest to that sound?
>
> Thanks,
> Jeffrey

/dan

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Mark & Steven Bornfeld - 20 Dec 2005 16:27 GMT

>> What frequency is the ear most sensitive to?
>>
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
>
> /dan

    I would assume Jeffrey would like to know the minimum detectable volume
of a given pure tone, measured in dB at the ear.
    Obviously, this varies widely from person to person, and differs by sex
and age (and probably a host of other parameters).
    Sounds like a homework question. ;-)

Steve

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Mark & Steven Bornfeld DDS
http://www.dentaltwins.com
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718-258-5001

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Jim Chinnis - 20 Dec 2005 19:05 GMT

"Jeffrey" <johjeffrey@hotmail.com> wrote in part:

>What frequency is the ear most sensitive to?
>
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>just mean the ear has the most sensors for that frequency? Or does it
>mean a person responds the fastest to that sound?

Sensity can be defined any number of ways. If you are asking what frequency
the ear is capable of detecting the least energetic tone at, it is around
4000 Hz. This is mainly due to the selective way in which the outer ear
conducts sound energy to the eardrum.
--
Jim Chinnis Warrenton, Virginia, USA

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