Ch. 7.7 Special Senses Key Terms
Aqueous humor:
The clear, watery fluid in the front part of the eye, between the cornea and the lens.
Auditory canal:
The tube running from the outer ear to the eardrum (tympanic membrane).
Auricle
The visible, outer part of the ear; also known as the pinna.
Choroid coat
The layer of blood vessels in the eye, located between the retina (inner layer) and the sclera (outer layer).
Cochlea
The spiral-shaped, fluid-filled cavity in the inner ear that contains the organ of Corti; it's the primary organ for hearing.
Conjunctiva
The thin, clear membrane that covers the front surface of the eye (sclera) and lines the inside of the eyelids.
Cornea
The transparent, dome-shaped outer layer at the very front of the eye that covers the iris, pupil, and lens.
Eustachian tube
A narrow tube that connects the middle ear to the back of the nose, responsible for equalizing pressure.
Iris:
The colored part of the eye that surrounds the pupil and controls the amount of light that enters.
Lacrimal glands
The glands located above the outer corner of each eye that produce tears.
Lens
The clear, flexible structure inside the eye, located behind the iris, that changes shape to focus light onto the retina.
Organ of Corti
The sensory organ for hearing, located inside the cochlea, which contains tiny hair cells that detect sound vibrations.
Ossicles
The three tiny bones in the middle ear (malleus, incus, and stapes) that transmit sound vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear.
Pinna
The visible, external part of the ear that collects sound waves; also known as the auricle.
Pupil
The black, circular opening in the center of the iris that allows light to enter the eye.
Refracts
The bending of light as it passes from one medium to another (e.g., from air through the eye's cornea and lens).
Retina
The light-sensitive layer of nerve tissue at the back of the eye that detects images and sends them to the brain via the optic nerve.
Sclera
The tough, white, fibrous outer layer of the eyeball; the "white of the eye."
Semicircular canals
Three fluid-filled, loop-shaped tubes in the inner ear that are associated with the sense of balance and spatial orientation.
Tympanic membrane:
The eardrum; a thin membrane that separates the outer ear from the middle ear and vibrates when hit by sound waves.
Vestibule
The central part of the bony labyrinth in the inner ear, situated between the cochlea and the semicircular canals, which plays a key role in balance.
Vitreous humor
The clear, gel-like substance that fills the large, central cavity of the eye, located behind the lens.