Ear Parts and Functions

Tympanic Membrane

Is a thin layer of tissue that separates the outer ear from the middle ear. It functions by vibrating in response to percussions from compression sound waves in the air.

Auditory Tube

Is a tube that links the nasopharynx to the middle ear

Cochlear Nerve

Is the sensory nerve that transfers auditory information from the cochlea to the brain.

Stapes

A stirrup-shaped bone in the middle ear. The stapes transmits sound vibrations from the incus, another little bone in the middle ear, to the oval window adjacent to the inner ear.

Pinna

Collects sounds and funnels them in to the auditory canal.

Temporal Bone

Houses several important structures such as the middle and internal ear apparatus including the cochlea, vestibule and the vestibulocochlear nerve

Malleus

One of three ossicles in the middle ear which transmit sound from the tympanic membrane (ear drum) to the inner ear. The malleus receives vibrations from the tympanic membrane and transmits this to the incus.

Ear Canal

Than narrow passage through which sound enters the ear.

Incus

The anvil-shaped small bone is one of three ossicles in the middle ear. The incus receives vibrations from the malleus, to which it is connected laterally, and transmits these to the stapes, medially.

Cochlea

The function of the cochlea is to transform the vibrations of the cochlear liquids and associated structures into a neural signal.

Middle Ear

The primary function of the middle ear is to offset the decrease in acoustic energy that would occur if the low impedance ear canal air directly contacted the high-impedance cochlear fluid.

Semicircular Canal

Your semicircular canals are three tiny, fluid-filled tubes in your inner ear that help you keep your balance. When your head moves around, the liquid inside the semicircular canals sloshes around and moves the tiny hairs that line each canal.