Ch. 7.7 Special Senses Key Terms
Aqueous humor
Clear, watery fluid that fills the space between the cornea and iris; maintains the forward curvature of the eyeball and refracts light rays
Auditory canal
External auditory meatus or canal/tube
Auricle
Outer ear or visible part of the ear; elastic cartilage covered by skin
Choroid coat
Middle layer of eye; interlaced with many blood vessels that nourish eye
Cochlea
Shaped like a snail shell; contains delicate hairlike mechanoreceptor cells
Conjunctiva
Mucous membrane lines the eyelids/covers eye front to provide protection and lubrication
Cornea
Circular, transparent part of the front of the sclera; allows light rays in eye
Eustachian tube
Tube connected to the pharynx allows air to enter the middle ear and helps equalize air pressure on both sides of the tympanic membrane
Iris
Colored portion of the eye; located behind the cornea and on the front of the choroid coat
Lacrimal glands
Glands in the eye that produce tears to moisten/cleanse eye
Lens
Circular structure located behind the pupil and suspended in position by ligaments; refracts light rays so the rays focus on the retina
Organ of Corti
Receptor of sound waves formed through mechanoreceptor cells
Ossicles
Small bones of the inner ear (malleus, incus, stapes)
Pinna
Outer ear or visible part of the ear; elastic cartilage covered by skin
Pupil
Opening in the center of the iris
Refracts
Bends
Retina
Innermost layer of eye; made of many layers of nerve cells that transmit the light impulses to the optic nerves
Sclera
Connective tissue in the outermost layer of the eye
Semicicular Canals
Located in inner ear; contain liquid and delicate, hairlike cells that bend when the liquid moves with head and body movements
Tympanic membrane
Eardrum; separates the outer ear from the middle ear and vibrates when sound waves hit it and transmits sound waves to the middle ear
Vestibule
Acts as the entrance to the other two parts of the inner ear
Vitreous humor
Jellylike substance that fills the area behind lens; maintains eyeball shape and refracts light rays