Biol 216-Topic 7: The Senses - Hearing

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to the auditory system as learned in Biol 216.

Cochlea

A spiraled, hollow, conical chamber of bone essential for hearing.

Mechanoreceptors

Sensory receptors that respond to mechanical pressure or distortion.

Basilar Membrane

A membrane that forms part of the floor of the cochlear duct and anchors sensory hair cells.

Organ of Corti

The sensory organ of hearing that contains hair cells detecting sound vibrations.

Tip Link

A gating spring that attaches the tip of each stereocilium in a hair bundle to adjacent stereocilia.

Perilymph

Fluid found in the scala vestibuli and scala tympani, rich in sodium (Na+).

Endolymph

Fluid found in the scala media, rich in potassium (K+).

Eustachian Tube

Tube that leads to the throat, equalizing pressure in the ear.

Stereocilia

Hair-like projections on the surface of hair cells that bend in response to sound vibrations.

Action Potentials

Electrical impulses generated in afferent neurons in response to sound stimuli.

Hair Cells

Sensory cells located in the organ of Corti that are responsible for transducing sound vibrations into electrical signals.

Oval Window

Membrane-covered opening that leads from the middle ear to the cochlea.

Auditory Cortex

Part of the brain that processes auditory information.

Scala Media

Also known as the cochlear duct, it contains endolymph and the organ of Corti.

Neuronal Pathways

Pathways that auditory signals follow from the cochlea to the auditory cortex in the brain.

Frequency

The number of sound waves that occur in a specific duration, determining pitch.

Amplitude

The height of sound waves, determining loudness.

Auditory Nerve

Nerve that carries sound information from the inner ear to the brain.

Tectorial Membrane

A membrane that overlays the hair cells in the organ of Corti.