Special Senses Vocab1

fovea centralis

• a tiny pit that contains only cones; the area of sharpest vision

• a region in the retina responsible for peripheral vision

• a layer of the eye that helps focus light

• the part of the eye that contains the most rods

auditory ossicles

• The three smallest bones in the body that transmit sound vibrations to the inner ear.

• The largest bones in the body that protect the inner ear.

• The bones responsible for balance in the inner ear.

• The bones that connect the outer ear to the eardrum.

auditory canal

• A short, narrow chamber that leads to the tympanic membrane; also known as the external acoustic meatus.

• A long tube that connects the outer ear to the inner ear.

• A structure that helps in the production of sound waves.

• A part of the brain responsible for processing auditory information.

cones

• specialized cells that give the eye its sensitivity to colors of different hues

• cells responsible for detecting motion in low light

• neurons that transmit signals from the retina to the brain

• cells that provide the eye with its shape and structure

auricle

• Portion of the ear that forms the shell-shaped structure of the outer ear; also known as the pinna.

• A part of the heart that receives blood from the veins.

• A type of bird known for its colorful feathers.

• A term used to describe a type of flower.

cochlea

• A snail-like structure of the inner ear, which contains special fluids through which sound vibrations travel.

• A part of the outer ear that helps in sound localization.

• A type of bone in the middle ear that amplifies sound.

• A membrane in the inner ear that converts sound waves into electrical signals.

cornea

• The transparent anterior portion of the sclera, which protects the iris and pupil and provides most of the optical power of the eye.

• The colored part of the eye that controls the size of the pupil.

• The outermost layer of the eye that provides protection and structure.

• The fluid-filled space behind the lens that helps maintain intraocular pressure.

cerumen

• A waxy, yellow substance that protects the middle ear by trapping debris from the environment; commonly known as earwax.

• A type of ear infection caused by bacteria.

• A medication used to treat earwax buildup.

• A surgical procedure to remove the eardrum.

choroid

• the blood-rich covering of the eyeball

• a type of retinal cell

• the outer layer of the cornea

• the fluid in the anterior chamber of the eye

Eustachian tube

• A tube that connects the middle ear with the nasopharynx and helps equalize pressure within the ear by draining fluids from the middle ear into the pharynx; also known as the auditory tube.

• A structure that produces sound by vibrating when air passes through it.

• A canal that connects the outer ear to the inner ear, responsible for hearing.

• A membrane that separates the outer ear from the middle ear.