Ear structures

What are the functions of the ear?

Receptor organ of hearing

Receives sound impulses and transmit them to the brain

Inner ear helps maintain balance

What does auditory pertain to?

Pertaining to sense of hearing

What does acoustic pertain to?

Pertaining to sound or hearing

What are the three separate regions of the ear?

Outer

Middle

Inner

What are the structures of the outer ear?

Pinna

External Auditory Canal

Cerumen

What is the Pinna?

External portion of the ear

Captures sound waves and transmits them into external auditory canal

What does the external auditory canal do?

Transmits sound waves to tympanic membrane of the middle ear

What is the cerumen and what does it do?

Earwax

Protective substance that traps small insects, dust, debris, and bacteria

What are the structures of the middle ear?

Tympanic

Mastoid Process

Auditory Ossicles

Eustachian Tubes

What is the tympanic?

Eardrum

membrane transmits sound by vibrating

What is the mastoid process?

temporal bone containing hollow air space surrounding the middle ear

What are the auditory ossicles and what do they do?

Malleus (hammer)

Incus (annvil)

stapes (stirrup)

Transmit sound waves from eardrum to inner ear by vibration

What are the eustachian tubes?

Lead from middle ear to nasal cavity and throat

Equalize air pressure within the middle ear with that of the outside atmosphere

What are the structures of the inner ear?

Oval Window

Cochlea

Organ of Corti

Semicircular Canals

Acoustic nerves

What is the oval window?

Membrane separating the middle ear from the inner ear

Allows entrance of vibrations into inner ear

What is the cochlea?

Snail-shaped structure where sound vibrations are converted into nerve impulses

What is the Organ of Corti?

Relays vibrations to auditory nerve fibers that transmit sound to the auditory center of the cerebral cortex for interpretation

What are semicircular canals?

Contain endolymph and sensitive hair cells the bend in response to the movements of head

Assist with equilibrium

What do acoustic nerves do?

Transmit information to the brain

What are the two parts of acoustic nerves?

Cochlear nerves

Vestibular Nerves

What do cochlear nerves do?

transmit sound for hearing

What do vestibular nerves do?

sense balance and head position