Learning anatomy/Ear

Anatomy

The parts of the ear are:

• Pinna
• Ear canal
• Eardrum
• Ossicles
  • Hammer
  • Anvil
  • Stirrup
• Cochlea

Function

When sound waves are made the pinna (auricle) gathers them up and then the sound waves move into the ear canal (external auditory meatus, EAM). The sound waves then vibrate the eardrum (tympanic membrane) which strikes the hammer (malleus) bone which moves the anvil (incus) bone and the stirrup (stapes) bone. The stapes vibrates the liquid that fills the cochlea. The hair cells at the bottom detect the highest sounds. The hair cells in the middle detect lower sounds. The hair cells at the top control the lowest sounds. This gets going to the auditory nerve and then into the brain where you hear the sound.

Illustrations

• 
  the pinna of the ear
• 
  ear canal highlighted
• 
  tympanic membrane
• 
  ossicles
• 
  cochlea