CH. 13: Ear Terms

Question 1

ear

Answer 1

organ of hearing and balance; includes the external ear, middle ear, and labyrinth or inner ear

Question 2

external ear

Answer 2

consists of the auricle and external auditory canal (meatus)

Question 3

auricle

Answer 3

external, visible part of the ear located on both sides of the head; directs sound waves into the external auditory canal (also called pinna)

Question 4

external auditory canal

Answer 4

short tube that ends at the tympanic membrane. The inner part lies within the temporal bone of the skull and contains the glands that secrete earwax (cerumen) (also called external auditory meatus)

Question 5

middle ear

Answer 5

consists of the tympanic membrane and the tympanic cavity containing the ossicles

Question 6

tympanic membrane

Answer 6

semitransparent membrane that separates the external auditory canal and the middle ear cavity. The tympanic membrane transmits sound vibrations to the ossicles (also called eardrum)

Question 7

ossicles

Answer 7

bones of the middle ear that carry sound vibrations. The ossicles are composed of the malleus (hammer), incus (anvil), and stapes (stirrup). The stapes connects to the oval window, which transmits the sound vibrations to the cochlea of the inner ear.

Question 8

eustachian tube

Answer 8

passage between the middle ear and the pharynx; equalizes air pressure on both sides of the tympanic membrane

Question 9

inner ear

Answer 9

consists of the labyrinth and connectors of the vestibular and the cochlear nerves

Question 10

labyrinth

Answer 10

bony spaces within the temporal bone of the skull made up of three distinct parts, the cochlea, the semicircular canals, and the vestibule. The cochlea facilitates hearing. The semicircular canals and the vestibule facilitate equilibrium and balance.

Question 11

cochlea

Answer 11

coiled portion of the inner ear containing the sensory organ for hearing; connects to the oval window in the middle ear.

Question 12

semicircular canals and vestibule

Answer 12

sensory organs of balance; contain receptors and endolymph that provide sensory information about the body’s position to maintain equilibrium.

Question 13

vestibulocochlear nerves

Answer 13

paired cranial nerves responsible for hearing and balance; composed of vestibular fibers and cochlear fibers (also called acoustic nerve or auditory nerve)

Question 14

vestibular nerve

Answer 14

conveys information about position and balance from the semicircular canals and vestibule to the brain.

Question 15

cochlear nerve

Answer 15

conveys information about sound, including volume and frequency, from the cochlea to the brain

Question 16

mastoid bone

Answer 16

portion of the temporal bone of the skull posterior and inferior to each auditory canal; contains mastoid air cells that drain into the middle ear cavity behind the external auditory canal (also called mastoid process)