Vocab: The Ear - Hearing and Balance

External Ear

gathers and directs sound waves

Auditory Canal

contains ceruminous fluids produced by ceruminous glands

Ceruminous glands

a type of sweat gland

Tympanic membrane

think translucent connective tissue membrane covered by skin

Middle Ear

small air-filled mucosal-lined cavity found in the petrous part of the temporal lobe

Ossicles

smallest bone in the body

Auditory Ossicles

malleus, incus, stapes - transfers sound waves to oval window

Eustacian Tube

connects the middle ear with th nasopharynx

Inner ear

maze of bony chambers

Cochlea

helps with hearing

Vestibule

tells position of head or equilibrium position

Semicircular Duct

helps with balance

Static Equilibrium

receptors in the vestibue report on the positiion of the head

Otoliths

tiny stones - inform the brain of head position

Dynamic Equilibrium

maintains proper head positioning when the body is moving

Hair cells

sends impulses along the vestibular nerve to the cerebellum

Crista ampullaris

houses the equilibrium receptors

Endolymph

fluid within the cochlea

Otitis Media

group of infections of the middle ear

Acute

fixable

Sensorinerual

hearing loss caused by damage to receptors in the oragan of Corti

Conduction

something interferes with the tranmission of sound vibrations

Sound

pressure disturbance

Decibels

measurement of how loud something is

Wavelength

how high the frequency is

Amplitude

height of the wave from the crest

Loudness

subjective interpretation of sound