ear Flashcards
What is the tympanic membrane?
A thin, flexible membrane that vibrates in response to sound waves
It transmits vibrations to the middle ear.
What is the role of the outer ear?
Collects sound waves and directs them to the eardrum
The outer ear consists of the pinna, external auditory meatus, and tympanic membrane.
What is the function of the malleus?
Receives vibrations from the tympanic membrane and transmits them to the incus
What is the tympanic cavity?
The air-filled space in the middle ear that houses the ossicles
True or False: The outer ear amplifies sound vibrations.
False
The outer ear collects and directs sound waves; amplification occurs in the middle ear.
What is the pinna?
The outermost part of the ear that captures sound waves
It helps in determining the direction of sound.
What shape is the incus, and what is its function?
Anvil-shaped bone that connects the malleus and stapes
It acts as a bridge for sound transmission.
What are the three main parts of the human ear?
- Outer ear
- Middle ear
- Inner ear
What is the oval window?
A membrane-covered opening that connects the middle ear to the inner ear
What is unique about the stapes?
The smallest bone in the human body, stirrup-shaped
It transfers sound vibrations from the middle ear to the inner ear through the oval window.
What are the semicircular canals?
Three fluid-filled, loop-shaped structures that detect rotational movements of the head
They help maintain balance.
What is the Eustachian tube?
A narrow passage that connects the middle ear to the throat
It helps to equalize air pressure on both sides of the eardrum.
What is the middle ear?
An air-filled chamber that transmits and amplifies sound vibrations
It is located between the outer and inner ear.
What is the function of the external auditory meatus?
Channels sound waves from the pinna to the deeper parts of the auditory system
What is the primary function of the human ear?
Hearing and balance
The human ear consists of three main parts: the outer ear, middle ear, and inner ear.
List the parts of the inner ear.
- Oval window
- Round window
- Cochlea
- Semicircular canals
- Auditory nerve
What is the ossicular chain?
A set of three small bones in the middle ear that transmit and amplify sound vibrations
It consists of the malleus, incus, and stapes.
Fill in the blank: The _______ is the organ responsible for hearing and balance.
human ear
What is the auditory nerve?
A cranial nerve that transmits sound information from the cochlea to the brain
What is the primary function of the inner ear?
Converts sound vibrations into nerve signals for hearing and maintaining balance
What is the cochlea?
A spiral-shaped, fluid-filled structure that converts sound vibrations into neural signals for hearing
What is the round window?
A flexible, membrane-covered opening that helps relieve pressure from sound vibrations in the cochlea
