Special Senses - The Ear

Question 1

What is the main function of the ear?

Answer 1

Hearing & Balance

Question 2

The ear can be divided into three sections, what are they?

Answer 2

External, middle, and inner

Question 3

The ear canal is known as?

Answer 3

external acoustic meatus

Question 4

The ear drum is known as?

Answer 4

tympanic membrane

Question 5

What is the role of the pinna?

Answer 5

acts as a funnel to channel sound waves down to the external acoustic meatus to the tympanic membrane.

Question 6

What is ear wax known as?

Answer 6

Cerumen

Question 7

What produced cerumen (ear wax)?

Answer 7

Ceruminous glands

Question 8

What is the purpose of cerumen?

Answer 8

Protects the ear canal from damage.

Question 9

Suggest a common external ear disease and 2 causes:

Answer 9

Otitis externa
Causes: bacteria and fungi, otodectes cynotis.

Question 10

What components does the middle ear consist of?

Answer 10

the tympanic cavity
the tympanic membrane
the auditory ossicles

Question 11

What is the name of the bone that surrounds the tympanic cavity?

Answer 11

Tympanic bulla

Question 12

What is the function of the eustachian tube?

Answer 12

equalises air pressure in the middle ear.

Question 13

What are the three bones in the middle ear?

Answer 13

1. Malleus (hammer)
2. Incus (anvil)
3. Stapes (stirrup)

Question 14

What two components does the inner ear consist of?

Answer 14

bony labyrinth and membranous labyrinth

Question 15

The bony labyrinth is linked to the middle ear by what two membranes?

Answer 15

round window (vestibular window) and oval window (cochlear window).

Question 16

The bony labyrinth consists of what three things?

Answer 16

bony cochlear, bony vestibule, bony semi-circular canals

Question 17

What fluid is found within the membranous labyrinth?

Answer 17

Endolymph

Question 18

The membranous cochlear contains receptor cells known as what?

Answer 18

organ of corti

Question 19

Each receptor cell is sensory with a base nerve fibre to form the branch of the what nerve?

Answer 19

vestibulocochlear nerve

Question 20

The utricle provides feedback regarding the ________ plane?

Answer 20

horizontal

Question 21

The saccule provides feedback regarding the ________ plane?

Answer 21

vertical

Question 22

The membranous vestibule is filled with endolymph and sensory cells that help maintain what??

Answer 22

balance when standing still

Question 23

Membranous semi-circular canals are connect to the vestibule by what?

Answer 23

Ampulla

Question 24

What is the purpose of ampulla?

Answer 24

helps to maintain balance when moving

Question 25

Explain the process of sound in 9 steps:

Answer 25

1. sound picked up at pinna 2. transmitted to tympanic membrane 3. over auditory ossicles 4. to oval window 5. ripples the perilymoh and then endolymph 6. receptor cells in cochlear receive vibrations 7. sends signal to nerve fibres carried by cochlear branch of vestibulocochlear nerve 8. to the auditory cortex of the cerebral hemispheres 9. here it is interpreted as sound.

Question 26

Taste is also reffered to as what?

Answer 26

gustation

Question 27

What is the chemoreceptors that detect taste?

Answer 27

chemoreceptors

Question 28

Smell is often reffered to as what?

Answer 28

olfaction