What is the path of sound through the ear?
What Is the Path of Sound Through the Ear? A sound wave enters the outer ear, then goes through the auditory canal, where it causes vibration in the eardrum. The vibration makes three bones in the middle ear move.
How does sound travel from the ear to the brain?
Our auditory nerve then carries these signals to the brain. Also available: Journey of Sound to the Brain, an animated video. Sound waves enter the outer ear and travel through a narrow passageway called the ear canal, which leads to the eardrum.
What part of the brain is responsible for sound processing?
The frontal and parietal lobes are responsible for the final elements of sound processing (secondary auditory cortex). The primary auditory cortex is tonotopically organised, meaning that the cells within the cortex, will receive inputs from cells in the inner ear that respond to specific frequencies.
Where is the auditory cortex located in the brain?
The lateral geniculate nucleus (involved in the visual pathway) lies adjacent to it. The primary auditory cortex - This is located in the temporal lobe and has a role in the processing of auditory information. It lies in the superior temporal gyrus of the lobe, and extends as far as the transverse temporal gyri.

What is the correct pathway of sound through the ear?
Sound waves enter the outer ear and travel through a narrow passageway called the ear canal, which leads to the eardrum. The eardrum vibrates from the incoming sound waves and sends these vibrations to three tiny bones in the middle ear.
What is the correct path of sound through the ear to the brain quizlet?
Terms in this set (9) The outer ear funnels sound waves, the middle ear transmits the waves inward, and the inner ear converts the sound waves into a form a person's brain can understand.
How does sound travel through the ear to the brain step by step?
How humans hearStep 1: Sound waves enter the ear. When a sound occurs, it enters the outer ear, also referred to as the pinna or auricle. ... Step 2: Sound moves through the middle ear. Behind the eardrum is the middle ear. ... Step 3: Sound moves through the inner ear (the cochlea) ... Step 4: Your brain interprets the signal.
What are the 6 steps of hearing?
When you arrive at your appointment, the audiologist will guide you in 6 steps.Step 1: Hearing history. ... Step 2: Visual exam of the external ear canal (otoscopy) ... Step 3: Middle ear check. ... Step 4: Sound detection. ... Step 5: Word recognition. ... Step 6: Results and recommendations.
What is the correct pathway that sound waves travel from the external world to the inner ear quizlet?
Terms in this set (15) > Sound waves travel from the outer ear through the auditory canal, causing the eardrum (TM) to vibrate. > This causes the ossicles in the middle ear to move.
How does the brain process sound?
The tiny hair cells in our inner ear send electrical signals to the auditory nerve which is connected to the auditory centre of the brain where the electrical impulses are perceived by the brain as sound. The brain translates the impulses into sounds that we know and understand.
How do sound waves travel?
Sound waves move by vibrating objects and these objects vibrate other surrounding objects, carrying the sound along. The further away from the original source of a sound you are, the waves lessen until they don't have the strength to vibrate any other particles.
How does sound travel through the air?
When an object vibrates, it causes movement in surrounding air molecules. These molecules bump into the molecules close to them, causing them to vibrate as well. This makes them bump into more nearby air molecules. This “chain reaction” movement, called sound waves, keeps going until the molecules run out of energy.
How does the ear work ks2?
Ears work by picking up vibrations (tiny back-and-forth movements), usually in the air or water. Then they change the vibrations into signals that the brain understands as sound. Ears also help an animal to keep its body in balance.
Where does sound travel through the ear?
Also available: Journey of Sound to the Brain, an animated video. Sound waves enter the outer ear and travel through a narrow passageway called the ear canal, which leads to the eardrum. The eardrum vibrates from the incoming sound waves and sends these vibrations to three tiny bones in the middle ear. These bones are called the malleus, incus, and ...
What are the three bones that vibrate in the middle ear?
The eardrum vibrates from the incoming sound waves and sends these vibrations to three tiny bones in the middle ear. These bones are called the malleus, incus, and stapes . The bones in the middle ear amplify, or increase, the sound vibrations and send them to the cochlea, a snail-shaped structure filled with fluid, in the inner ear.
What is the membrane of the cochlea called?
An elastic partition runs from the beginning to the end of the cochlea, splitting it into an upper and lower part. This partition is called the basilar membrane because it serves as the base, or ground floor, on which key hearing structures sit.
What causes the cochlea to ripple?
Once the vibrations cause the fluid inside the cochlea to ripple, a traveling wave forms along the basilar membrane. Hair cells—sensory cells sitting on top of the basilar membrane—ride the wave. Hair cells near the wide end of the snail-shaped cochlea detect higher-pitched sounds, such as an infant crying.
What is the name of the video that follows sound waves as they pass through the ear canal?
The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), which developed Noisy Planet, has produced a two-and-a-half-minute animated video, Journey of Sound to the Brain, that follows sound waves as they pass through the ear canal and are changed to electrical signals that our brains interpret and understand.
What is the purpose of the inner ear video?
The video teaches viewers about the parts of the inner ear and how each part helps us understand and communicate with the world around us. Perfect for viewing at home or in the classroom, the video can help you begin a conversation with your children or students about how our hearing works and why it’s so important that we protect it. ...
Where was the video of the noise planet?
The video premiered during a Noisy Planet presentation at Westbrook Elementary School, in Bethesda, Maryland, to a group of engaged fourth graders. After students acted out the sequence of events involved in hearing, they attentively watched the animated version of what they just acted out.
Which pathway is responsible for the sound waves that travel through the auditory canal?
Auditory pathway . The external ear/pinna funnels sound waves into a unidirectional wave, and is able to direct it into the auditory canal. This sound then reaches the tympanic membrane, and causes it to vibrate. The louder the sound the bigger the vibration, the lower pitch the sound the slower the vibration.
Which is more complex, the auditory pathway or the visual pathway?
The auditory pathway is more complex than the visual and the olfactory pathways. It is composed of a number of nuclei and is dependent on a range of functional areas. This article will explore the anatomy, function and clinical relevance of the auditory pathway.
What muscle is responsible for dampening sounds?
The tensor tympani muscle attaches onto the neck of the malleus, and its role is to dampen sounds. It arises from the greater wing of sphenoid and auditory canal and can be voluntarily controlled. However its involuntary function is most important. Incus (ventral view)
Where is the malleus attached?
The lateral process of the malleus is attached to the upper part of the tympanic membrane. The lower part of the malleus is attached to the tympanic membrane at the umbo, and is a strong connection. The anterior process is attached to the petrotympanic fissure.
How does a stape move?
It articulates with the stapes via its lenticular process . The stapes is shaped like a stirrup, and impacts onto the oval window. The stapes moves like a piston, and causes the oval window to move in and out with sounds. There is a round window located below the oval window that moves out when the oval window moves in.
What is the outer ear?
The outer ear /visible ear is referred to as the pinna. It collects omnidirectional sound waves and transforms them into a unidirectional source of information. By funneling the sound waves in this way, it is able to direct them into the auditory canal and amplify them.
Which ligaments are responsible for dampening the response of the ossicles to excessively loud sounds
There are anterior, lateral and superior malleal ligaments , which maintain the position of the malleus at the level of the head, neck and head of the malleus respectively, dampen the response of the ossicles to excessively loud sounds, and also reduce the displacement of the ossicles when middle ear pressure changes.
What is the auditory pathway?
The auditory pathway is complex in that divergence and convergence of information happens at different stages. There are two main components of the auditory pathway: Primary (lemniscal) pathway – this is the main pathway through which auditory information reaches the primary auditory cortex (A1).
Where does the acoustic nerve enter the brain?
The nerve enters the cranium through the internal acoustic meatus and travels a short distance (around 1 cm) to enter the brainstem at the cerebellopontine angle.
Where do the ventral cochlear nuclei decussate?
However, most fibres from the ventral cochlear nucleus decussate to the contralateral superior olivary nuclei in a region known as the trapezoid body. Although the ventral cochlear nuclei neurons decussate at the trapezoid body, some fibres synapse at the ipsilateral superior olivary nucleus.
Why is it important to know that information from both ears travels bilaterally in each lateral lemniscus?
This is important because supranuclear lesions (i.e. above the level of the cochlear nucleus) will not lead to serious hearing impairment. Therefore, hearing problems can be conductive or sensorineural but are rarely central.
What is the primary auditory cortex?
The primary auditory cortex is organized tonotopically, although its organisation is complex, and the details are beyond the scope of this article . Non-Lemniscal Pathways. These are pathways that do not lead to primary auditory cortex. They involve multisensory integration, reflexes, attention, and emotional responses.
Which nerve is responsible for the auditory pathway?
Information travels from the receptors in the organ of Corti of the inner ear (cochlear hair cells) to the central nervous system, carried by the vestibulocochlear nerve ( CN VIII).
Where do cochlear nerves receive information?
These neurones receive information from hair cells in the Organ of Corti and travel within the osseous spiral lamina. Their central axons form the main component of the cochlear nerve.
