Final answer:
Pitch is determined by the frequency of sound waves and hair cell activation, while loudness is linked to sound wave amplitude and frequency sensitivity of the ear, measured in phons. Sound localization depends on binaural and monaural cues for detecting sound origin.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding Pitch, Loudness, and Sound Localization
The perception of sound involves several key concepts including pitch, loudness, and sound localization. Pitch is the perception of frequency, with low-frequency sounds perceived as lower pitched and high-frequency sounds as higher pitched. Different frequencies are discerned partly by the rate at which hair cells on the basilar membrane fire action potentials and partly by the specific location of these cells on the membrane. High frequency sounds can be encoded using place cues beyond 4000 Hz.
Loudness is the perception of sound intensity, measured in phons. It depends not only on the amplitude of sound waves but also on the frequency sensitivity of the human ear. Changes as small as 1 dB can be discerned, and a change of 3 dB is readily noticeable. Frequency greatly affects our perception of how loud a sound seems, and this can also influence the timbre of the sound produced by different instruments.
Sound localization uses both monaural and binaural cues to determine the origin of sounds within an environment. These cues, which involve timing and intensity differences of sound reaching each ear, allow us to accurately pinpoint the source of a sound.