regarding ear drums...

just a question me and a friend were pondering over a while ago, which never got answered.

I was wondering if the ear drum could be ruptured by being exposed to incredibly loud sound waves which were below (or above) the range that humans can pick up.

neither of us knowing much about physical science (I'm a computer engineering major, and he's a marine biology major), please tell me if we're both just idiots.

Yes.

thanks so much, you've made my day.

If it happens to you, you are a bit deafened until the eardrum heals, after which point you should be alright, although a scar may mean your ear still has a little loss of functionality.

x=-\frac{a}{4} + \left(\frac{\sqrt{\left(-\frac{3a^2}{8}+b\right)+2\left(-\frac{5}{6}\left(-\frac{3a^2}{8}+b\right) + \sqrt[3]{\left(-\frac{\left(-\frac{\left(-\frac{3a^2}{8}+b\right)^3}{108}+\frac{\left(-\frac{3a^2}{8}+b\right) \left(-\frac{3a^4}{256} + \frac{ba^2}{16}-\frac{ac}{4}+d\right)}{3}-\frac{\left(\frac{a^3}{8}-\frac{ab}{2}+c\right)^2}{8}\right)}{2}+\sqrt{\frac{\left(-\frac{\left(-\frac{3a^2}{8}+b\right)^3}{108}+\frac{\left(-\frac{3a^2}{8}+b\right) \left(-\frac{3a^4}{256} + \frac{ba^2}{16}-\frac{ac}{4}+d\right)}{3}-\frac{\left(\frac{a^3}{8}-\frac{ab}{2}+c\right)^2}{8}\right)^2}{4}+\frac{\left(-\frac{\left(-\frac{3a^2}{8}+b\right)^2}{12}-\left(-\frac{3a^4}{256} + \frac{ba^2}{16}-\frac{ac}{4}+d\right)\right)^3}{27}}\right)} - \frac{\left(-\frac{\left(-\frac{3a^2}{8}+b\right)^2}{12}-\left(-\frac{3a^4}{256} + \frac{ba^2}{16}-\frac{ac}{4}+d\right)\right)}{3\sqrt[3]{\left(-\frac{\left(-\frac{\left(-\frac{3a^2}{8}+b\right)^3}{108}+\frac{\left(-\frac{3a^2}{8}+b\right) \left(-\frac{3a^4}{256} + \frac{ba^2}{16}-\frac{ac}{4}+d\right)}{3}-\frac{\left(\frac{a^3}{8}-\frac{ab}{2}+c\right)^2}{8}\right)}{2}+\sqrt{\frac{\left(-\frac{\left(-\frac{3a^2}{8}+b\right)^3}{108}+\frac{\left(-\frac{3a^2}{8}+b\right) \left(-\frac{3a^4}{256} + \frac{ba^2}{16}-\frac{ac}{4}+d\right)}{3}-\frac{\left(\frac{a^3}{8}-\frac{ab}{2}+c\right)^2}{8}\right)^2}{4}+\frac{\left(-\frac{\left(-\frac{3a^2}{8}+b\right)^2}{12}-\left(-\frac{3a^4}{256} + \frac{ba^2}{16}-\frac{ac}{4}+d\right)\right)^3}{27}}\right)}}\right)} + \sqrt{-(3\left(-\frac{3a^2}{8}+b\right) + 2\left(-\frac{5}{6}\left(-\frac{3a^2}{8}+b\right) + \sqrt[3]{\left(-\frac{\left(-\frac{\left(-\frac{3a^2}{8}+b\right)^3}{108}+\frac{\left(-\frac{3a^2}{8}+b\right) \left(-\frac{3a^4}{256} + \frac{ba^2}{16}-\frac{ac}{4}+d\right)}{3}-\frac{\left(\frac{a^3}{8}-\frac{ab}{2}+c\right)^2}{8}\right)}{2}+\sqrt{\frac{\left(-\frac{\left(-\frac{3a^2}{8}+b\right)^3}{108}+\frac{\left(-\frac{3a^2}{8}+b\right) \left(-\frac{3a^4}{256} + \frac{ba^2}{16}-\frac{ac}{4}+d\right)}{3}-\frac{\left(\frac{a^3}{8}-\frac{ab}{2}+c\right)^2}{8}\right)^2}{4}+\frac{\left(-\frac{\left(-\frac{3a^2}{8}+b\right)^2}{12}-\left(-\frac{3a^4}{256} + \frac{ba^2}{16}-\frac{ac}{4}+d\right)\right)^3}{27}}\right)} - \frac{\left(-\frac{\left(-\frac{3a^2}{8}+b\right)^2}{12}-\left(-\frac{3a^4}{256} + \frac{ba^2}{16}-\frac{ac}{4}+d\right)\right)}{3\sqrt[3]{\left(-\frac{\left(-\frac{\left(-\frac{3a^2}{8}+b\right)^3}{108}+\frac{\left(-\frac{3a^2}{8}+b\right) \left(-\frac{3a^4}{256} + \frac{ba^2}{16}-\frac{ac}{4}+d\right)}{3}-\frac{\left(\frac{a^3}{8}-\frac{ab}{2}+c\right)^2}{8}\right)}{2}+\sqrt{\frac{\left(-\frac{\left(-\frac{3a^2}{8}+b\right)^3}{108}+\frac{\left(-\frac{3a^2}{8}+b\right) \left(-\frac{3a^4}{256} + \frac{ba^2}{16}-\frac{ac}{4}+d\right)}{3}-\frac{\left(\frac{a^3}{8}-\frac{ab}{2}+c\right)^2}{8}\right)^2}{4}+\frac{\left(-\frac{\left(-\frac{3a^2}{8}+b\right)^2}{12}-\left(-\frac{3a^4}{256} + \frac{ba^2}{16}-\frac{ac}{4}+d\right)\right)^3}{27}}\right)}}\right) + \frac{2\left(\frac{a^3}{8}-\frac{ab}{2}+c\right)}{\sqrt{\left(-\frac{3a^2}{8}+b\right)+2\left(-\frac{5}{6}\left(-\frac{3a^2}{8}+b\right) + \sqrt[3]{\left(-\frac{\left(-\frac{\left(-\frac{3a^2}{8}+b\right)^3}{108}+\frac{\left(-\frac{3a^2}{8}+b\right) \left(-\frac{3a^4}{256} + \frac{ba^2}{16}-\frac{ac}{4}+d\right)}{3}-\frac{\left(\frac{a^3}{8}-\frac{ab}{2}+c\right)^2}{8}\right)}{2}+\sqrt{\frac{\left(-\frac{\left(-\frac{3a^2}{8}+b\right)^3}{108}+\frac{\left(-\frac{3a^2}{8}+b\right) \left(-\frac{3a^4}{256} + \frac{ba^2}{16}-\frac{ac}{4}+d\right)}{3}-\frac{\left(\frac{a^3}{8}-\frac{ab}{2}+c\right)^2}{8}\right)^2}{4}+\frac{\left(-\frac{\left(-\frac{3a^2}{8}+b\right)^2}{12}-\left(-\frac{3a^4}{256} + \frac{ba^2}{16}-\frac{ac}{4}+d\right)\right)^3}{27}}\right)} - \frac{\left(-\frac{\left(-\frac{3a^2}{8}+b\right)^2}{12}-\left(-\frac{3a^4}{256} + \frac{ba^2}{16}-\frac{ac}{4}+d\right)\right)}{3\sqrt[3]{\left(-\frac{\left(-\frac{\left(-\frac{3a^2}{8}+b\right)^3}{108}+\frac{\left(-\frac{3a^2}{8}+b\right) \left(-\frac{3a^4}{256} + \frac{ba^2}{16}-\frac{ac}{4}+d\right)}{3}-\frac{\left(\frac{a^3}{8}-\frac{ab}{2}+c\right)^2}{8}\right)}{2}+\sqrt{\frac{\left(-\frac{\left(-\frac{3a^2}{8}+b\right)^3}{108}+\frac{\left(-\frac{3a^2}{8}+b\right) \left(-\frac{3a^4}{256} + \frac{ba^2}{16}-\frac{ac}{4}+d\right)}{3}-\frac{\left(\frac{a^3}{8}-\frac{ab}{2}+c\right)^2}{8}\right)^2}{4}+\frac{\left(-\frac{\left(-\frac{3a^2}{8}+b\right)^2}{12}-\left(-\frac{3a^4}{256} + \frac{ba^2}{16}-\frac{ac}{4}+d\right)\right)^3}{27}}\right)}}\right)}})}}{2}\right)