Editing Inner ear (section)

==Function==
Neurons within the ear respond to simple tones, and the brain serves to process other increasingly complex sounds. An average adult is typically able to detect sounds ranging between 20 and 20,000&nbsp;Hz. The ability to detect higher pitch sounds decreases in older humans.

The human ear has evolved with two basic tools to encode sound waves; each is separate in detecting high and low-frequency sounds. [[Georg von Békésy]] (1899–1972) employed the use of a microscope in order to examine the basilar membrane located within the inner-ear of cadavers. He found that movement of the basilar membrane resembles that of a traveling wave; the shape of which varies based on the frequency of the pitch. In low-frequency sounds, the tip (apex) of the membrane moves the most, while in high-frequency sounds, the base of the membrane moves most.<ref>{{cite book |last=Schacter |first=Daniel |title=Psychology |publisher=[[Worth Publishers]] |year=2012 |isbn=978-1464135606 |location=New York}}</ref>