What relationship exists between the Doppler effect and hearing?

Hearing is a very important sense because it allows us to live our lives peacefully. A process that seems so simple, but it's actually a complex process involving various organs working together to help us perceive sounds and noises.

Sound waves are essentially vibrations that enter our ear and trigger nerve impulses, which our brain interprets as sounds. Every part of our ears, from the outer pinna and ear canal to the inner cochlea, plays a role. The journey begins with the pinna and ear canal collecting sound waves and vibrations, sending them to the middle ear through the eardrum. This sets the hammer, anvil, and stirrup in motion, which eventually make contact with the cochlea. The cochlea not only moves the fluid inside but also activates hair cells surrounding it, which, in turn, stimulate nerve receptors. These signals are then sent to the brain for translation and interpretation, allowing us to hear.

Sounds that are perceived by the human ear are described by frequency (measured in Hertz)  and intensity (measured in decibels). There are, however, sounds that cannot be perceived by a human being but are felt as vibrations rather than actual sounds. People with hearing impairments experience sound differently and often struggle to hear high-pitched sounds. 

Generally, even if you think you have good hearing abilities, a regular check-up with a hearing care professional is always a good idea. Early intervention, with discreet and minimal hearing aids if needed, can help prevent serious hearing conditions down the road.

We encounter the Doppler effect in our daily lives when we hear sounds like a passing train's whistle on a station platform or an ambulance with its sirens blaring. Regardless of whether we're stationary or in motion, we notice changes in these approaching and receding sounds. This effect manifests as an increase in sound intensity as the source approaches and a decrease as it moves away. Simultaneously, the frequency of the sound also varies, being lower when the source is distant and higher when it's approaching.

The Doppler effect results from alterations in the time it takes for sound to reach the observer. The explanation is straightforward: when a train or ambulance approaches, the sound waves cover less distance and reach us more quickly, resulting in a higher frequency in a short time. Conversely, as the noise source moves away, the waves travel a greater distance, causing the frequency to decrease, and the sound becomes lower.