Vibrations of the tympanic membrane caused by sound waves traveling down the auditory canal are transmitted first to the

Question

a. labyrinth. c. organ of Corti.
b. malleus, incus, and stapes. d. perilymph and endolymph.

Answer 1

B
Sound waves are conducted by air and picked up by the auricles and auditory canal. The tympanic membrane vibrates as it is struck by sound waves. The central area of the tympanic membrane is connected to the malleus, which also starts to vibrate. Then the vibration is transmitted to the incus and on to the stapes. The labyrinth is a complex, closed, fluid-filled system of interconnecting tubes in the inner ear. The receptor organ for hearing is the cochlea which contains the organ of Corti, whose tiny hair cells respond to stimulation. The cochlea, a snail-shaped structure, is made up of three compartments. The first two compartments contain perilymph, and the third contains endolymph.