RACGP Practice Exam - Australia Practice Test & Prep Study Guide

In the Rinne Test, normal hearing is indicated when bone conduction is less than air conduction. This means that when sound is transmitted through the air, it is heard better than when it is transmitted through the bone, which is a sign of healthy auditory function.

In a person with normal hearing, the air conduction pathway is typically more efficient and allows individuals to hear sounds more clearly because of the way sound waves travel through the ear canal and strike the eardrum compared to the bone conduction route, which bypasses the outer and middle ear structures.

When analyzing the other choices, if air conduction is equal to bone conduction, or if bone conduction is greater than air conduction, this could indicate the presence of conductive hearing loss or other abnormalities in the ear structure. A report of hearing nothing suggests severe impairment or a failure in both conduction pathways, which also does not represent normal hearing. Thus, the condition where bone conduction is less than air conduction uniquely denotes a normal auditory function, aligning with classical audiological principles.