Cheat sheet

Every key quantitative relation in the book, in canonical order, at a glance. Each formula links to the lesson that develops it.

2 — The body before the ear

Interaural path difference (Woodworth)

ΔL≈r(θ+sin⁡θ)\Delta L \approx r(\theta + \sin\theta)

Interaural time difference

ITD=ΔL/c\text{ITD} = \Delta L / c

Ear-canal quarter-wave resonance

fres=c4Lf_\text{res} = \dfrac{c}{4L}

Closed–open harmonics (odd only)

fn=(2n−1) c4Lf_n = (2n-1)\,\dfrac{c}{4L}

Open–open / closed–closed harmonics

fn=n c2Lf_n = n\,\dfrac{c}{2L}

3 — The middle ear

Acoustic impedance (definition)

Z=p/vZ = p/v

Reflection coefficient at a boundary

R=Z2−Z1Z1+Z2R = \dfrac{Z_2 - Z_1}{Z_1 + Z_2}

Transmitted power fraction

T=1−∣R∣2T = 1 - \lvert R\rvert^2

Impedance of a plane-wave medium

Z=ρcZ = \rho c

Area-ratio pressure gain

pOWpTM=ATMAfootplate≈17\dfrac{p_\text{OW}}{p_\text{TM}} = \dfrac{A_\text{TM}}{A_\text{footplate}} \approx 17

Total ossicular pressure gain

Gp=ATMAfootplate⋅LmalleusLincus≈22G_p = \dfrac{A_\text{TM}}{A_\text{footplate}}\cdot\dfrac{L_\text{malleus}}{L_\text{incus}} \approx 22

Gain in decibels

20log⁡10(22)≈27 dB20\log_{10}(22) \approx 27\,\text{dB}

4 — Fourier in hydraulics

Local BM oscillator

mη¨+bη˙+kη=P(x,t)m\ddot\eta + b\dot\eta + k\eta = P(x,t)

Local natural frequency

ω0(x)=k(x)/m(x)\omega_0(x) = \sqrt{k(x)/m(x)}

Driven-oscillator amplitude

∣H(ω)∣=1m(ω02−ω2)2+γ2ω2\lvert H(\omega)\rvert = \dfrac{1}{m\sqrt{(\omega_0^2-\omega^2)^2 + \gamma^2\omega^2}}

Driven-oscillator phase

ϕ(ω)=−arctan⁡γωω02−ω2\phi(\omega) = -\arctan\dfrac{\gamma\omega}{\omega_0^2-\omega^2}

Quality factor / bandwidth

Q=ω0/γ,width≈ω0/QQ = \omega_0/\gamma, width \approx \omega_0/Q

BM specific impedance

ZBM=b+i ⁣(ωm−kω)Z_\text{BM} = b + i\!\left(\omega m - \dfrac{k}{\omega}\right)

Cochlear long-wave equation

d2Pdx2+κ2P=0\dfrac{d^2P}{dx^2} + \kappa^2 P = 0

Cochlear dispersion relation

κ2=2iωρA ZBM\kappa^2 = \dfrac{2i\omega\rho}{A\,Z_\text{BM}}

WKB traveling-wave solution

P(x)≈P0κexp⁡ ⁣(i ⁣∫0xκ dx′)P(x) \approx \dfrac{P_0}{\sqrt{\kappa}}\exp\!\left(i\!\int_0^x \kappa\,dx'\right)

Greenwood place–frequency map

f(x)=A(10α(1−x/L)−K)f(x) = A\bigl(10^{\alpha(1-x/L)} - K\bigr)

Greenwood constants (human)

A=165.4 Hz, α=2.1, K=0.88A = 165.4\,\text{Hz},\ \alpha = 2.1,\ K = 0.88

Active feedback / effective damping

mη¨+(b−β)η˙+kη=P,  beff=b−βm\ddot\eta + (b-\beta)\dot\eta + k\eta = P,\ \ b_\text{eff} = b - \beta

MET-channel Boltzmann open probability

Popen(x)=11+exp⁡[−(x−x0)/κ]P_\text{open}(x) = \dfrac{1}{1 + \exp[-(x - x_0)/\kappa]}

5 — The auditory nerve

Vector strength (phase locking)

VS=∣1N∑i=1Neiϕi∣\text{VS} = \left\lvert \dfrac{1}{N}\sum_{i=1}^{N} e^{i\phi_i} \right\rvert

8 — Meaning, memory, prediction

Bayes’ theorem for perception

P(M∣S)=P(S∣M) P(M)P(S)P(M\mid S) = \dfrac{P(S\mid M)\,P(M)}{P(S)}

Precision-weighted predictive-coding update

Δθi∝πi(θi−1−g(θi))−πi+1(∂g/∂θi)(θi−g(θi+1))\Delta\theta_i \propto \pi_i\bigl(\theta_{i-1} - g(\theta_i)\bigr) - \pi_{i+1}\bigl(\partial g/\partial\theta_i\bigr)\bigl(\theta_i - g(\theta_{i+1})\bigr)

Variational free energy

F=Eq[log⁡q(θ)]−Eq[log⁡p(θ,S)]=KL(q(θ) ∥ p(θ∣S))−log⁡p(S)F = \mathbb{E}_q[\log q(\theta)] - \mathbb{E}_q[\log p(\theta,S)] = \mathrm{KL}\bigl(q(\theta)\,\Vert\,p(\theta\mid S)\bigr) - \log p(S)

E — Bioelectricity and mechanotransduction

Nernst potential

VNernst=RTzFln⁡coutcinV_\text{Nernst} = \dfrac{RT}{zF}\ln\dfrac{c^\text{out}}{c^\text{in}}

Goldman–Hodgkin–Katz

Vrest=RTFln⁡PKcKout+PNacNaout+PClcClinPKcKin+PNacNain+PClcCloutV_\text{rest} = \dfrac{RT}{F}\ln\dfrac{P_K c_K^\text{out} + P_\text{Na} c_\text{Na}^\text{out} + P_\text{Cl} c_\text{Cl}^\text{in}}{P_K c_K^\text{in} + P_\text{Na} c_\text{Na}^\text{in} + P_\text{Cl} c_\text{Cl}^\text{out}}

MET driving voltage

ΔVMET=Vendolymph−Vcytoplasm\Delta V_\text{MET} = V_\text{endolymph} - V_\text{cytoplasm} Popen(x)=11+e(ΔG0−KTL d x)/kBTP_\text{open}(x) = \dfrac{1}{1 + e^{(\Delta G_0 - K_\text{TL}\,d\,x)/k_B T}}