Question

Do our eardrum vibrate at all when ultrasonic or infrasonic sound comes to our ears?

Answer 1

Dear student,
As we know, infrasonic sound , ultrasonic sound and audible sound, all of them comes with different frequency range, so the energy associated with these sounds are different. (as energy is proportional to frequency).
When any sound hits our ear drum, it causes a vibration (as sound energy converts into mechanical energy) in to our ear drum. But the cochlea (i.e. the fluid filled chamber inside our ear) is only responsive or simulated by a certain range of frequencies. The frequency range of sound that is able to simulate cochlea is 20 Hz to 20 KHz. That's why any sound with frequency below 20 Hz (i.e. infrasonic) or above 20 kHz (i.e. ultrasonic) is not able to heard by us.


Regards,