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ear parts
Question | Answer |
---|---|
pinna (pinnacle/auricle) | The visible part of the outer ear. It collects sound and directs it into the outer ear canal. |
outer ear canal | The tube through which sound travels to the eardrum. |
eardrum | A thin membrane that vibrates when sound waves reach it. |
hammer (malleus) | A tiny bone that passes vibrations from the eardrum to the anvil. |
anvil (incus) | A tiny bone that passes vibrations from the hammer to the stirrup. |
stirrup (stapes) | A tiny, U-shaped bone that passes vibrations from the stirrup to the cochlea. This lithe smallest bone in the human body (it is 0.25 to 0.33cm long). |
cochlea | A spiral-shaped, fluid-filled inner ear structure; it is lined with cilia (tiny hairs) that move when vibrated and cause a nerve impulse to form. |
nerves (auditory nerve) | These carry electro-chemical signals from the inner ear (the cochlea) to the brain. |
semicircular canals | Three loops of fluid-filled tubes that are attached to the cochlea in the inner ear. They help us maintain our sense of balance. |
Eustachian tube | A tube that connects the middle ear to the back of the nose; it equalizes the pressure between the middle ear and the air outside. |