The Everyday Physics of Hearing and Vision (Second Edition)

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 colour are discussed at length including the psychology of colour perception and colour mixing.

This second edition includes the latest developments in hearing and vision. New topics include hearing and vision aids, electron microscopy, the third eye (pineal body), vision and hearing gene therapies and new remote sensing techniques.

Key Features

• Introduces the science behind vision and hearing, covering both the underlying biology and the technologies we increasingly use to augment and improve our senses
• Written in a straightforward and approachable style, making the content understandable and engaging for non-experts
• Includes extensive illustrations and diagrams

Benjamin de Mayo is an Emeritus Professor of physics at the University of West Georgia. De Mayo has received 25 grants from the Georgia Space Grant Consortium (NASA) to do research with undergraduate science majors and to present science programs for the public and for school groups. His research areas are high temperature superconductivity, nano-diamonds, oil sand extraction, and electronic kinetic sculpture.