The Ear & Hearing

By Michael J. Harman

External Ear

Auricle

External auditory meatus

Middle Ear

Tympanic membraneEardrum

Auditory ossicles

Malleus

Incus

Stapes

Auditory (Eustacian) tube

Internal Ear

Osseous labyrinthOuter white layer (osseous means bony)

Membranous labyrinthInner gray layer

Cochlea

Oval windowBehind the stapes

Round window

Oval Window

Organ of Corti

Contains receptor hair cells

Semicircular canal

Ampulla

Swelling at one end of all 3 semicircular canals

SacculeExpanded chamber that communicates with the cochlea

UtricleExpanded chamber that communicates with the saccule from the semicircular canals

Vestibulocochlear (Auditory) nerve