Hi, I understand that particles hitting our ear drum (say at the compression portion of the wave) causes it to push inward, but I don't understand why the ear drum bounces back in the opposite direction during a point of rarefaction. read more
During the compression portion of a sound wave, outside pressure exceeds internal pressure and the tympanic membrane flexes inward. And yes, rarefaction is the thinning out of the sound wave air below ambient pressure, causing the now-greater pressure inside the ear to push the eardrum outward. read more
Sound Waves and the Eardrum. A sound wave traveling through a fluid medium (such as a liquid or a gaseous material) has a longitudinal nature. This means that the particles of the medium vibrate in direction which is parallel (and anti-parallel) to the direction which the sound wave travels. read more
Sound waves are formed when a vibrating object causes the surrounding medium to vibrate. A medium is a material (solid, liquid or gas) which a wave travels through. As sound waves move through a medium the particles vibrate forwards and backwards. A sound's volume, how loud or soft it is, depends on the sound wave. read more
Sound Waves and the Eardrum A sound wave traveling through a fluid medium (such as a liquid or a gaseous material) has a longitudinal nature. This means that the particles of the medium vibrate in direction which is parallel (and anti-parallel) to the direction which the sound wave travels. read more
Your eardrum is a very thin membrane that acts as a barrier between the outside world and your inner ear. Although it protects the inside of your ear, your eardrum's real purpose is to transmit sound. When the sound waves hit your eardrum, they cause it to vibrate—the same way that a real drum vibrates when you hit it with a drumstick. read more