Taking into account that one of the main difficulties for the use of experimental activities in physics education is the lack of support materials and guidelines to enable the teacher to use this methodological strategy, we proposed an experimental device that works as a mechanical ear. It was constructed with low cost materials and can be used to explore several concepts related to waves, in particular propagation and amplification of the pressure and transmission of a sound wave at the external ear, which is composed by ear, ear canal and eardrum, and mechanical processes associated with the three middle ear ossicles (hammer, anvil and stirrup). To help the teacher to use the device in the classroom, we have written some guidelines in order to explore the effects of significant inappropriate use of the headset.
Demonstrative experimental activity; external and middle ear; propagation of sound waves; headset
