Human ear | Structure, Function, & Parts | Britannica
Sep 10, 2024 · Human ear, organ of hearing and equilibrium that detects and analyzes sound by transduction and maintains the sense of balance. Anatomically, the ear has three distinguishable parts: the outer, middle, and inner ear. Learn about the …
Human ear - Anatomy, Hearing, Balance | Britannica
Sep 10, 2024 · Human ear - Anatomy, Hearing, Balance: The most-striking differences between the human ear and the ears of other mammals are in the structure of the outermost part, the auricle. In humans the auricle is an almost rudimentary, usually immobile shell that lies close to the side of the head.
Inner ear | Definition, Anatomy, Balance, & Facts | Britannica
inner ear, part of the ear that contains organs of the senses of hearing and equilibrium. The bony labyrinth, a cavity in the temporal bone, is divided into three sections: the vestibule, the semicircular canals, and the cochlea.
ear - Kids | Britannica Kids | Homework Help
Each ear has three sections: the outer ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear. The outer ear is divided into two main parts: the auricle and the ear canal. The auricle is the part of the ear that is visible on the sides of the head.
External auditory canal | Definition, Function, Anatomy, Location ...
external auditory canal, passageway that leads from the outside of the head to the tympanic membrane, or eardrum membrane, of each ear. The structure of the external auditory canal is the same in all mammals.
The anatomy of the ear | Britannica - Encyclopedia Britannica
Structures of the human ear. The cartilaginous auricle and the auditory canal of the outer ear direct sound waves to the middle ear. The eardrum, stretched across the end of the canal, vibrates as sound waves reach it.
Vestibular system | Definition, Anatomy, & Function | Britannica
Vestibular system, apparatus of the inner ear involved in balance. It consists of two structures of the bony labyrinth of the inner ear, the vestibule and the semicircular canals, and the structures of the membranous labyrinth contained within them.
Human ear - Hearing, Anatomy, Physiology | Britannica
Sep 10, 2024 · Hearing is the process by which the ear transforms sound vibrations in the external environment into nerve impulses that are conveyed to the brain, where they are interpreted as sounds. Sounds are produced when vibrating objects, such as the plucked string of a guitar, produce pressure pulses of vibrating air molecules, better known as sound waves.
Human ear - Endolymph, Perilymph, Hearing | Britannica
Sep 10, 2024 · The ear can distinguish different subjective aspects of a sound, such as its loudness and pitch, by detecting and analyzing different physical characteristics of the waves. Pitch is the perception of the frequency of sound waves—i.e., the number of wavelengths that pass a fixed point in a unit of time.
Human ear - Cochlea, Vestibule, Semicircular Canals | Britannica
Sep 10, 2024 · There are actually two labyrinths of the inner ear, one inside the other, the membranous labyrinth contained within the bony labyrinth. The bony labyrinth consists of a central chamber called the vestibule, the three semicircular canals, and the spirally coiled cochlea.