Hearing with Two Ears

How you know where a sound is

An interactive lesson with 7 steps, about 6 minutes: you predict, drag and solve, with instant feedback on every answer. It runs in your browser and needs JavaScript.

What you’ll learn

• The cochlea maps frequency to position; high frequencies wear out first.
• Interaural time difference $\Delta t \approx d\sin\theta / v$, up to about 0.6 ms.
• Bass is hard to locate; the outer ear and head movements resolve front from back.

Steps

1. Inside the ear
2. Losing the high notes
3. Timing between the ears
4. Where is it?
5. The biggest delay
6. Where’s the subwoofer?
7. Front or back?