Ear Physiology 1

Small hairs and (a)   glands that produce ​ (b)   line the auditory ​ (c)   to help keep large, foreign objects, such as insects, out of the ear.

• ceruminous
• earwax
• canal
• tube
• mucous

The transfer of ​ (a)   through matter produces​ (b)   . Like ripples in a pond, sound travels in waves. The​ higher the wave, the ​​ (c)   the sound. The more waves per second, the (d)   the ​ (e)   or pitch.

• vibrations
• sound
• louder
• higher
• frequency
• quieter
• lower
• wavelength
• heat
• pizza

The ​ middle ear or the ​ (a)   cavity, is an air-filled space in the ​ (b)   bone that separates the outer from the inner ear.​

• tympanic
• temporal
• frontal
• occipital
• auditory

The middle ear houses 3 tiny bones called auditory ​ (a)   . The ​ (b)   or hammer is connected to the tympanic membrane laterally and the ​ (c)   (anvil) medially. The last bone called the ​ (d)   (stirrup) connects the anvil to the ​ (e)   window which transfers vibrations into the fluid of the inner ear.

• ossicles
• malleus
• incus
• stapes
• oval

The tiny bones or ossicles of the middle ear help to transfer and ​ (a)   sound waves through the middle ear.

• amplify
• reduce

The tiny bones or ossicles of the middle ear help to transfer and ​ (a)   sound waves through the middle ear. As a result, the pressure per square millimeter that the stapes applies at the oval window is about ​ (b)   times ​ (c)   than that which the sound waves exert on the tympanic membrane.

• amplify
• 22
• greater
• reduce
• 0.5
• lower

About 1/10 of a second after hearing a​ (a)   sound, the ​ (b)   reflex results in the contraction of 2 muscles pulling on the malleus and stapes causing the bridge of ossicles to be ​ (c)   ​rigid. This reduces the effectiveness in transferring vibrations to the inner ear in order to protect the hair cells in the cochlea.

• loud
• tympanic
• more
• soft
• quiet
• less
• cochlear

The auditory (​ (a)   ) tube connects each ​ (b)   ear to the ​ (c)   and mouth. It helps to maintain equal air ​ (d)   on both sides of the ​ (e)   membrane.

• Eustachian
• middle
• nasopharynx
• pressure
• tympanic

As one ascends in a hot air balloon the air pressure outside your ear ​ (a)   while the pressure inside your middle ear stays the same. ​ This causes your tympanic membrane to be pushed ​ (b)   which impairs hearing. Swallowing removes air out of the tympanic cavity (reduces air pressure) and your eardrums pop back into place.

• decreases
• outward
• lower
• inward
• increases

As one descends while scuba diving, the pressure outside your ear ​ (a)   while the pressure inside your middle ear stays the same. This causes your tympanic membrane to be pushed ​ (b)   which impairs hearing. To reverse this, one pinches their nostrils shut and closes their mouth while gently forcing air up the auditory tube to push the eardrums ​ (c)   again.

• increases
• inward
• out
• in
• lower
• outward
• decreases