The Everyday Physics of Hearing and Vision / Edition 1

by Benjamin de Mayo

Overview

Humans receive the vast majority of sensory perception through the eyes and ears. This non-technical book examines the everyday physics behind hearing and vision to help readers understand more about themselves and their physical environment. It begins with a thorough discussion of sound and light waves then goes on to discuss how our eyes and ears gather and process information from those waves. The ears and eyes are examined in their physical form in humans as well as in other members of the animal kingdom to show differences in how each receive information from the same waves and how hearing and vision may have evolved in humans. The book also discusses the perception of sound by examples such as sound intensity, decibels, and masking while also covering the basis of music and resonance. Vision and the perception of light and color are also discussed at length including the psychology of color perception and color mixing.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781627056748
Publisher:	Morgan and Claypool Publishers
Publication date:	04/01/2014
Series:	Iop Concise Physics
Pages:	124
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.00(d)

About the Author

Ben de Mayo is a Professor Emeritus of Physics at the University of West Georgia. He has been at West Georgia since 1971, except for one year when he was a Visiting Professor of Physics at the Georgia Institute of Technology. He came to West Georgia from the University of Illinois, where he was a Research Associate in the Department of Mining and Metallurgy. He received his B.S. from Emory University (1962), his M.S. from Yale University (1964), and his Ph.D. from Georgia Tech (1969), all in Physics.

Table of Contents

Introduction to Waves: Vibrations, the Trigger Effect and Information / The Ear: Parts of the Ear, Other Ears, the Non-acoustic Labyrinth, and the Sound Spectrum / The Eye: The Electromagnetic Spectrum / Wave Properties: Mirrors, Butterflies, Rainbows, and Diamonds / Hearing: Sound Intensity, Tones, and Musical Instruments / Vision and the Perception of Light and Color: Light Intensity, Blindness Prevention, Cataracts, Color, and Color Blindness