Harbor seals, like many animals, determine the direction from which a sound is c
ID: 1398201 • Letter: H
Question
Harbor seals, like many animals, determine the direction from which a sound is coming by sensing the difference in arrival times at their two ears. A small difference in arrival times means that the object is in front of the seal; a larger difference means it is to the left or right. There is a minimum time difference that a seal can sense, and this leads to a limitation on a seal's direction sense. Seals can distinguish between two sounds that come from directions 3? apart in air, but this increases to 9? in water.
Explanation / Answer
the sound waves are FASTER in water then in air, so the difference in arrival times of the sound in the two ears will be SMALLER; and there is a minimum time difefrence the seal can sense.
This means the directional discrimiation is WORSE in water where the sound is FASTER than in air