Ear structures
Outer ear that funnels sound.
What is the pinna?
These cells are the sensory cells of the auditory system.
What are hair cells?
This is perceived as loudness.
What is amplitude?
Structure that is oriented horizontally and detects forward/backward & side-to-side acceleration.
What is the utricle?
This effect occurs when the same sound is produced but perceived differently based on lip movement.
What is the McGurk effect?
These are the bones in your middle ear that amplify sound.
What are the ossicles?
This is the membrane that the hair cells are stuck in. (Hint: base)
What is the Basilar membrane?
This is perceived as pitch.
What is frequency?
Structure that is oriented vertically and detects up/down acceleration.
What is the saccule?
This protective response occurs when the ear is exposed to loud sounds and is mediated primarily by the stapedius muscle.
What is the Acoustic reflex?
This structure is in the inner ear and is where sound is transduced to a mechanical signal.
What is the Cochlea?
These cells are the primary sensory receptors of audition.
What are the inner hair cells?
This is a combination of sound waves that lend sound its "color" or tone.
What is complexity?
These structures detect angular motion.
What are the semicircular canals?
The auditory nerve that takes information from the cochlea to the brain.
What is the Vestibulocochlear nerve (CN VIII)?
The thin layer of tissue separating outer ear from middle ear.
What is the Tympanic membrane (Ear drum)?
These cells change shape to dampen/amplify sound.
What are outer hair cells?
Range of frequencies humans can hear.
What is 20 - 20,000 Hz?
These are limestone rocks in the ear.
What are otoconia?
This is the organization of sound frequency within the auditory system. (Hint: frequency mapping)
What is tonotopic organization?
Part of the ear where the stapes pokes through to further amplify sound.
What is the oval window?
This part of hair cells is attached to K+ channels.
What are stereocilia?
Frequency range of human speech.
What is 300 - 5,000 Hz?
These structures are the entrances (vestibules) of the semicircular canals.
What are the ampullae?
This is what happens when otoliths are flung into semicircular canals.
What is Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)?