The Ear(Complete)

Question 1

What are the three regions of the ear?

Answer 1

The outer ear.
The middle ear.
The inner ear.

Question 2

What regions are located in the outer ear?

Answer 2

The pinna.
The auditory canal.
The eardrum.

Question 3

What regions are located in the middle ear?

Answer 3

The ear ossicles.
The oval window.
The round window.
The eustachian tube.

Question 4

What regions are located in the inner ear?

Answer 4

The cochlea.

The semicircular canals.

Question 5

Suggest one way in which the ear may be protected.

Answer 5

Ear wax.
Ear protection.
The skull.

Question 6

Describe the structure of the pinna.

Answer 6

Consists of skin covered cartilage.

Question 7

What is the function of the pinna?

Answer 7

Collect sound waves and directs it to the auditory canal.

Question 8

Describe the structure of the auditory canal.

Answer 8

A short curved tube that extends from the pinna to the eardrum. Secretes earwax for protection.

Question 9

What is the function of the auditory canal?

Answer 9

Carries sound waves to the ear drum. The ear wax cleans the canal which acts as a method of protection.

Question 10

Describe the structure of the eardrum.

Answer 10

A tightly stretched membrane that separates the outer ear from the middle ear.

Question 11

What is the function of the eardrum?

Answer 11

To vibrate at the same frequency of the sound waves it received.
To send these vibrations to the ear ossicles in the middle ear.

Question 12

Describe the structure of the ear ossicles.

Answer 12

Tiny bones which connect the eardrum to the oval window.

Question 13

What is the function of the ear ossicles?

Answer 13

To transfer and amplify sound waves to the oval window.

Question 14

Describe the structure of the oval window.

Answer 14

Separates the air filled middle ear from the liquid filled inner ear.

Question 15

What is the function of the oval window.

Answer 15

Carries sound waves from the stirrup to the cochlea.

This sets up pressure waves in the cochlea.

Question 16

Describe the structure of the Eustachian tube.

Answer 16

Tube that connects to the pharynx.

Closed most of the time but opens when swallowing or yawning.

Question 17

What is the function of the Eustachian tube?

Answer 17

To equalise pressure in each eardrum.

Question 18

What is the function of the round window?

Answer 18

To dampen the pressure changes in the cochlea so that one can hear many sounds clearly in quick succession.

Question 19

Describe the structure of the cochlea.

Answer 19

A spiral bony chamber filled with lymph.

Question 20

What is the function of the cochlea.

Answer 20

To generate nerve impulses using waves of pressure:
Contains brain receptors which are stimulated by the movement of lymph.
Receptors generate impulses which are sent to the brain.
Brain interprets these impulses as sound.

Question 21

Describe the structure of the semicircular canal,

Answer 21

Balance is controlled by the vestibular apparatus.

Impulses are generated in the semicircular canals.

Question 22

What is the function of the 3 semicircular canals?

Answer 22

To control balance in 3 planes.

Question 23

Describe the mechanism of hearing.

Answer 23

Vibrations are collected by the outer ear.
They then pass through the middle ear where they are amplified by the ear ossicles.
They are then carried to the cochlea where pressure waves occur in the lymph.
This stimulates the receptors to generate impulses.
These impulses are then transmitted to the brain by the auditory nerve.
The brain then interprets these impulses as sound.

Question 24

What is the name of the hearing disorder?

Answer 24

Glue ear/ Ottis media.

Question 25

What causes this hearing disorder?

Answer 25

Inflammation of the middle ear.
Surplus sticky fluid accumulates in the middle ear c using the eardrum to bulge and making the sound response less accurate.
This is a result of bacterial infection.

Question 26

How is this hearing disorder treated?

Answer 26

Nasal drops are used to clear out the eustachian tube if the case is mild.
Or antibiotics are prescribed.
If the case is severe, small tubes called grommets are placed into the eardrum and they send air into the middle ear which forces the fluid down the eustachian tube.