Hearing Anatomy and Disorders Quiz

The auricle, also known as the pinna, is the visible outer part of the ear. It's made mostly of cartilage, except for the earlobe which has fat and subcutaneous tissue. The auricle's primary function is to gather sound waves and guide them into the external auditory canal.

The external auditory canal is a passageway about 2-3 cm long that connects the auricle to the eardrum (tympanic membrane). Its lining contains hair, oil glands, and wax glands. It protects the inner ear from foreign objects and prevents infections.

The middle ear is an air-filled cavity behind the eardrum. It contains three tiny bones called ossicles (malleus, incus, stapes), which transmit sound vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear. The Eustachian tube, connecting the middle ear to the nasopharynx, ensures pressure balance within the ear.

The inner ear is the innermost part of the ear, containing the cochlea (for hearing) and the vestibular system (for balance). The cochlea transforms vibrations into electrical signals that the brain interprets as sound.

The Eustachian tube is a narrow, approximately 4 cm long passage connecting the middle ear to the nasopharynx. This tube helps regulate pressure between the middle ear and the outside world by opening during swallowing, chewing, yawning, or sneezing. It also allows drainage of secretions from the middle ear.

The eardrum, also known as the tympanic membrane, is a thin, oval-shaped membrane that separates the outer ear from the middle ear. It vibrates in response to sound waves and transmits these vibrations to the ossicles.

The ossicles are three tiny bones located in the middle ear: malleus (hammer), incus (anvil), and stapes (stirrup). They work together to amplify sound vibrations and transmit them from the eardrum to the inner ear.

The cochlea is a spiral-shaped, fluid-filled organ in the inner ear. It contains tiny hair cells that convert sound vibrations into electrical signals, which are then sent to the brain for interpretation as sound.

Normal opening of the eustachian tube that equalizes atmospheric pressure in the middle ear. Closing prevents unwanted pressure fluctuations and loud sounds.

Thin, 1cm diameter membrane that vibrates in response to sound waves. It's composed of three layers of tissue and separates the ear canal from the middle ear.

The three smallest bones in the human body (malleus, incus, stapes) found in the middle ear. They amplify and transmit sound vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear.

The innermost portion of the ear containing the sensory organs for hearing (cochlea) and balance (vestibule).

A spiral-shaped structure in the inner ear. Contains the Organ of Corti, which is responsible for converting sound vibrations into nerve signals.

A part of the inner ear responsible for maintaining balance. It contains fluid-filled chambers and sensory hair cells that detect movement.

The nerve that carries auditory (sound) and vestibular (balance) information from the inner ear to the brain.

Sound waves travel through the ear canal and vibrate the eardrum. The eardrum vibrates the ossicles, which amplify and transfer the vibrations to the inner ear's cochlea, where they are converted into nerve signals that are sent to the brain for interpretation.

The tympanic membrane (eardrum) is a thin, oval-shaped membrane that separates the outer ear from the middle ear. It vibrates in response to sound waves and transmits these vibrations to the ossicles.

The organ of Corti is a structure located within the cochlea. It contains hair cells that are responsible for converting sound vibrations into electrical signals, which are then sent to the brain.

The vestibule is a part of the inner ear responsible for maintaining balance. It contains fluid-filled chambers and sensory hair cells that detect movement.

The vestibulocochlear nerve, also known as the auditory nerve, is a cranial nerve that carries both sound and balance information from the inner ear to the brain.

The process of hearing begins with sound waves entering the ear canal. These waves vibrate the eardrum, which in turn moves the ossicles. The ossicles amplify the vibrations and pass them to the cochlea, where they are converted into electrical signals that the brain interprets as sound.