Subject: Biology

Topic: The Ear

Grade: X

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 The Ear – Sense of Hearing and Balance

The human ear is concerned with two functions, Hearing and body balance.

Main Divisions of Ear

Outer Ear Middle Ear Inner Ear

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 Structure of the EAR

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 OUTER EAR
• OUTER EAR consists of
• PINNA

• EXTERNAL AUDITORY CANAL

• Tympanic Membrane

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 The Pinna

• The pinna is the cartilage of the ear; it acts as

a funnel to capture the sound.

• The transmission of sound vibrations through

the outer ear occurs chiefly through air.

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 External Auditory Canal

• A 2.5 cm long tunnel that ends at the eardrum

or tympanic membrane
• At its opening it contains few hairs and
specialised sebaceous glands that secrete
earwax.
• The combination of hair and wax prevents the
entry of dust and foreign particles into the ear.

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 Tympanic Membrane

• It is a tissue thin membrane having the

diameter of a pencil.
• It is stretched tight like a drum head
• It lies between the outer and middle ear.
• Sound waves striking it cause it to vibrate.

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 The Outer (External) Ear

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 MIDDLE EAR
• It is an AIR filled space that is separated from the
external ear by the tympanum

• It consists of
– Ear ossicles – a chain of three very small bones
– Oval window and Round window
– Eustachian tube

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 Ear Ossicles
- The MALLEUS (hammer), INCUS (anvil), and
the STAPES (stirrup) are the three bones
• The stapes (stirrup) is the smallest bone in the
human body.
• The hammer is attached to the eardrum at the
outer end.
• The foot plate of the stirrup is attached to the
oval window that separates the middle ear
cavity from the spiral canals of the inner ear
• Their function is to amplify sound vibrations.
The malleus vibrates the incus, which vibrates
the stapes.
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 Oval Window and Round Window

• The flat part of the stirrup fits on the so-called

oval window
• Oval window is a membrane covered opening
leading to the inner ear
• The round window is a second opening also
covered with a thin membrane that connects
the middle and inner ear.

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 Eustachian Tube
• It is also known as the Auditory Tube.
• The middle ear is open to the nasopharynx by way of
the AUDITORY TUBE, which connects the middle ear
to the throat.
• It equalises air pressure on either side of the ear
drum.

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 The Ear – Sense of Hearing and Balance Outer Ear

The outer ear consists of the projecting part pinna (also called “auricle”) and
the passage auditory canal leading to the ear drum (or tympanum).

Ear Pinna

Auditory Canal Tympanum

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 The Ear – Sense of Hearing and Balance Middle Ear

The middle ear contains three tiny bones:

They are collectively known as
• Malleus Ear ossicles
• Incus
• Stapes
Incus
Anvil

Stapes
Stirrup
Eustachian Tube
Malleus

Hammer

An eustachian tube is also present which connects

the cavity of the middle ear with the throat.

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 The Ear – Sense of Hearing and Balance Middle Ear

The handle of the hammer bone is attached to the inner surface of the ear drum.
Its opposite end is connected to the anvil which, in turn, is joined to the stirrup.

Anvil
Incus
Hammer
bone

Stapes

Stirrup Eustachian Tube

Malleus

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 The Ear – Sense of Hearing and Balance Middle Ear

The flat part of the stirrup fits on the so called oval window, a membrane–
covered opening leading to the inner ear.

Anvil
Incus
Hammer
bone

Stapes

Stirrup Eustachian Tube

Malleus

A second opening, the

round window, also covered by a thin membrane,
connects the middle and the inner ear.

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 The Ear – Sense of Hearing and Balance Inner Ear

The inner ear or membranous as has two main parts–

labyrinth
It is also known
Membranous Labyrinth
• Cochlea
Semicircular Canals
• Semicircular
Canals

Cochlea

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 Structures of the Middle Ear

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 INNER EAR

• It is a fluid filled structure. It is also called

Labyrinth as it is located in a bony cavity called
the BONY LABYRINTH (“maze”).
• It is filled with a fluid called PERILYMPH, which
is similar to CSF.
• It is made up of :
– The cochlea
– The semicircular canals
– The utricule and saccule
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 The Cochlea
• It is a fluid filled spiral-shaped passage in the temporal bone
• It looks like a snail shell and has two and a half spirals.
• Internally it is divided into three parallel fluid filled canals
separated by membranes.
• The median canal is filled with a fluid called endolymph
• The other two canals are filled with perilymph
• The middle canal possess the sensory cells , spiral organ called
Organ of Corti for hearing.
• The cochlea is concerned with hearing as it is has the sensory
cells that transform sound vibrations into nerve impulses.

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 Semicircular Canals

• Set of three fluid filled canals arranged at right angles

to each other
• One canal is horizontal and the other two are vertical
canals
• Each canal has a slight bulge at the end called
ampulla
• The amupullae have sensory receptor cells that
generate nerve impulse in response to the body
• These canals are the sense organs of dynamic
equilibrium when the body is in motion.

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 The Utricule and Saccule
• The part joining the base of the semicircular
canals to cochlea has two sac like structures –
utricule and saccule.
• They have the sensory receptors for static
balance
• These sacs are connected to each other by a
small duct .
• The semi-circular canals project upward from
the posterior part of the vestibule.
• The vestibule is concerned with static
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body Organs 22 of 28
 The Ear – Sense of Hearing and Balance Inner Ear

The cochlea is spiral-shaped and looks like a snail shell.

Its inner winding cavity is divided into three parallel canals separated by
membranes.

Vestibular Canal

Median Canal

Tympanal Canal

Cochlea
It has two and a
half turns

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 The Ear – Sense of Hearing and Balance Inner Ear

The median (cochlear) canal is filled with a fluid called endolymph and the
other two with perilymph.

Vestibular Canal

Median Canal
Organ of Corti
Tympanal Canal

Cochlea

The middle canal contains areas possessing

sensory cells, spiral organ called Organ of
Corti for hearing.

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 The Ear – Sense of Hearing and Balance Inner Ear

The median (cochlear) canal is filled with a fluid called endolymph and the
other two with perilymph.

Vestibular Canal

Median Canal
Auditory Nerve
Tympanal Canal

Cochlea

The nerve fibres arising from these cells join

the auditory nerve.
The sensory cells lie on the basilar membrane.

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 The Ear – Sense of Hearing and Balance Inner Ear

The other part of the inner ear is a set of three Semi-circular canals which are
arranged at right angles to each other in three different planes so that one is
horizontal and the other two are vertical.

Semicircular Ampulla
Canals

For dynamic balance

while the body is in
motion.
One end of each canal is widened to form an
ampulla which contains sensory cells

And nerve fibres from them join the auditory

nerve.

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 The Ear – Sense of Hearing and Balance Inner Ear

The short stem joining the bases of semicircular canals to the cochlea shown
two parts – a utriculus and a sacculus.
For static balance when
These parts also contain sensory cells. the body is stationary as
in standing

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 The Inner (Internal) Ear

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