Transcript The Ear ppt

The Ear
3 Main Parts – outer, middle,
and inner
OUTER EAR
• The outer ear is the part visible on each
side of your head. It's made up of folds of
skin and cartilage, called the pinna (PINuh), and the ear canal.
Middle Ear
• The middle ear is an
air-filled cavity
between the eardrum
and inner ear. It's
connected to the back
of your nose and upper
part of your throat by
a narrow channel
called the auditory
tube (eustachian tube).
Bones of the Middle Ear
• The middle ear cavity contains three tiny
bones — the hammer, anvil and stirrup —
named for their corresponding shape
When sound waves travel through the ear
canal, the vibration of your eardrum causes
these bones to vibrate
Inner Ear
• The inner ear
contains two of the
most intricate parts
of the hearing
mechanism: the
cochlea and
vestibular labyrinth
Cochlea
• Sound vibrations from
the oval window travel
into the fluid of the
cochlea, where tiny
specialized cells
convert the vibrations
into electrical
impulses.
Semicircular Canals
• The vestibular labyrinth consists of three
semicircular tubes that connect to one
another and control your sense of
balance. These canals contain fluid and
cells sensitive to fluid movement. The
cells track your body's movement so that
you're aware of where your head is in
relation to the world around you.
Auditory Nerve
• Electrical impulses
travel through the
auditory nerve to
various information
processing centers
within your brain.
Inner Ear