The audible range of human ear is between?

Appeared in: ESIC Nursing Officer 2016 (shift-1)

Explanation

The scientifically accepted range of hearing for a healthy young human is from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz (or 20 kHz).
This range represents the lowest pitch (20 Hz) to the highest pitch (20,000 Hz) that the ear can detect.
Frequencies below this range are called infrasound, and frequencies above are called ultrasound.
This full range is most prominent in children and young adults and tends to decrease with age, particularly at the higher frequencies.

Option B: This range (150-500 Hz) is a very narrow slice of the lower-frequency part of the audible spectrum. It excludes the vast majority of sounds humans can hear.
Option C: The lower limit is incorrect. Humans can perceive sounds down to 20 Hz, not just 200 Hz. This option incorrectly cuts off the lowest 180 Hz of the hearing range.
Option D: The upper limit is incorrect. While hearing sensitivity at very high frequencies diminishes with age, the maximum range for a young, healthy ear extends to 20,000 Hz, not 2,000 Hz.

Visual 1: Diagram: A visual spectrum of sound showing the ranges for infrasound, audible sound (20-20,000 Hz), and ultrasound, with examples of sources for each (e.g., elephant for infrasound, human speech in the middle, bat for ultrasound).

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Audible frequency range of the human ear as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Understanding the normal hearing range is fundamental for nurses when interpreting audiometry results, which test a patient's hearing across different frequencies.
Age-related hearing loss (presbycusis) typically affects the higher frequencies first (above 8,000 Hz), making it difficult for older adults to hear high-pitched sounds and certain consonants (like 's' or 'f').
Patient education about noise-induced hearing loss should emphasize protecting the ears from loud sounds, as this can damage the hair cells in the cochlea responsible for detecting frequencies across the entire audible spectrum.

How to Approach the Question

Identify the core concept of the question: It's asking for a standard physiological value – the range of human hearing.
Recall or look for the specific numbers associated with this biological fact.
Scan the options to find the one that matches the known range: 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz.
Eliminate other options by recognizing they represent either a partial range (like 20-2000 Hz, which is important for speech but not the full range) or an incorrect range (like starting at 200 Hz).

Concept Tested & Keywords

QdM5_wfH8T9HCUbLyykHAP

Practise the full ESIC Nursing Officer 2016 (shift-1)

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.