How does a human ear work?

It collects sound waves and channels them into the ear canal (external auditory meatus), where the sound is amplified. The sound waves then travel toward a flexible, oval membrane at the end of the ear canal called the eardrum, or tympanic membrane. Sound waves cause the eardrum to vibrate.

How do you perform an ear assessment?

For an ear examination, the doctor uses a special tool called an otoscope to look into the ear canal and see the eardrum. Your doctor will gently pull the ear back and slightly up to straighten the ear canal. For a baby under 12 months, the ear will be pulled downward and out to straighten the ear canal.

What is the mammalian ear?

The ear is the organ that enables hearing and, in mammals, balance. In mammals, the ear is usually described as having three parts—the outer ear, the middle ear and the inner ear. The outer ear consists of the pinna and the ear canal.

How are the three inner ear bones unique to mammals?

The three inner ear bones, the incus, the malleus, and the stapes—commonly referred to as the hammer, the anvil and the stirrup—are unique to mammals. These tiny bones transmit sound vibrations from the tympanic membrane (a.k.a. the eardrum) to the inner ear and transform the vibrations into neural impulses that are then processed by the brain.

Which is the hearing organ of land mammals?

Hearing in Land Mammals The ear is the hearing organ in humans. It consists of the outer ear (pinna and auditory meatus), the middle ear (ossicles) and the inner ear (cochlea and vestibular system). The cochlea is a spiral-shaped chamber within the inner ear that transforms sound waves into nerve impulses.

How is the ear an example of evolution?

The Mammalian Ear: Physics and the Principles of Evolution Physical laws govern the operation of the ear but natural selection dominates its design. Introduction In the sensory worlds of animals and humans, there are major differences in the ex- tent to which the laws of physics exert an influence on the function and evolution of the senses.

How is sound collected in the middle ear?

Ear Anatomy: Label Me! Printout Sound is collected by the pinna (the visible part of the ear) and directed through the outer ear canal. The sound makes the eardrum vibrate, which in turn causes a series of three tiny bones (the hammer, the anvil, and the stirrup) in the middle ear to vibrate.