Ch. 7.7 Special Senses Key Terms
The clear, watery fluid in the front (anterior) chamber of the eye, which provides nutrients to the cornea and lens.
What is Aqueous Humor?
The tube that funnels sound waves from the outer ear to the tympanic membrane (eardrum).
What is the auditory canal?
The visible, external part of the ear, made of cartilage. Its shape helps to collect and direct sound waves into the auditory canal.
What is the auricle?
The middle layer of the eye, located between the sclera and the retina. It is rich in blood vessels that supply oxygen and nutrients to the retina.
What is the choroid coat?
The snail-shaped, bony, fluid-filled structure in the inner ear. It contains the Organ of Corti, the sensory organ for hearing.
What is the cochlea?
The thin, transparent mucous membrane that lines the inside of the eyelids and covers the front surface of the sclera (the white part of the eye).
What is the conjunctiva?
The transparent, dome-shaped outer layer at the very front of the eye. It covers the iris, pupil, and lens and is responsible for most of the eye's light refraction.
What is the cornea?
A narrow tube that connects the middle ear to the pharynx (the back of the throat). Its function is to equalize air pressure on both sides of the eardrum.
What is the eustachian tube?
The colored, muscular part of the eye that surrounds the pupil. It controls the amount of light entering the eye by constricting (making the pupil smaller) or dilating (making the pupil larger).
What is the iris?
The glands located above the outer corner of each eye that produce tears, which lubricate the eye and protect it from infection.
What are the lacrimal glands?
A transparent, biconvex structure located behind the iris and pupil. It changes shape (a process called accommodation) to fine-tune the focusing of light onto the retina.
What is a lens?
The true organ of hearing, located within the cochlea. It contains tiny hair cells that are stimulated by vibrations, converting them into nerve impulses.
What are the organs of Corti?
The three smallest bones in the human body, located in the middle ear: the malleus (hammer), incus (anvil), and stapes (stirrup). They transmit and amplify vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear.
What are the ossicles?
The external, visible part of the ear that collects sound
What is the pinna?
The black opening in the center of the iris that allows light to pass through to the retina.
What is the pupil?
The bending of light rays as they pass from one medium (like air) into another (like the cornea or lens). This bending is what focuses light to form an image.
What are refracts?
The light-sensitive layer of nerve tissue at the back of the eye. It contains photoreceptor cells (rods and cones) that detect light and convert it into neural signals sent to the brain.
What is the retina?
The tough, white, fibrous outer layer of the eyeball. It provides structural support and protection for the inner parts of the eye.
What is the sclera?
Three tiny, fluid-filled, loop-shaped tubes in the inner ear that are associated with balance. They detect rotational or angular movements of the head (dynamic equilibrium).
What are the semicircular canals?
The eardrum. A thin, cone-shaped membrane that separates the outer ear from the middle ear. It vibrates when struck by sound waves.
The central part of the bony labyrinth in the inner ear, located between the cochlea and the semicircular canals. It contains structures that detect gravity and linear acceleration (static equilibrium).
What is the vestibule?
The clear, gel-like substance that fills the large (posterior) chamber of the eye, helping it maintain its round shape and supporting the retina.
What is the vitreous humor?