Science

Auricle (Pinna)

The visible portion of the outer ear that collects sound waves and channels them into the ear canal for amplification.

Ear Canal

The passage that starts at the outer ear and ends at the eardrum, approximately an inch in length, sensitive to pain and pressure.

Ear Drum (Tympanic Membrane)

A transparent gray membrane about the size of a dime that vibrates in response to sound waves, connected to the middle ear bone (malleus).

Middle Ear Ossicles

The three smallest bones in the human body - malleus (hammer), incus (anvil), and stapes (stirrup) - responsible for further amplifying sound vibrations.

Cochlea

A snail-shaped organ in the inner ear filled with fluid that responds to vibrations, containing nerve endings that transform vibrations into electrical impulses for transmission to the brain.