Sounds create a vibration in the air that hits the eardrum, which pushes a series of tiny bones that move the fluid inside the membrane that stimulates tiny hair cells - which are not actually hair - that stimulate neurons, and transmit action to the brain, which translates into sound. But there is more to our ears than just allowing us to experience the sweetness of bird singing, or the pain of digestion. The ear is often overlooked, but the most important role is to maintain your balance, and without it, you will not be able to dance or move around or even stand up. And you certainly could not do that! At least not without a dump. To get a clearer understanding of how your ears absorb sound, you need to understand how sound works. The key to sound transmission is vibration. When I speak, my voice trembles.
When I hit the table, or when I play the guitar, that vibration causes the air particles to vibrate, triggering sound waves that transmit vibrations in the air. So this, it sounds different than this, because different moving objects produce different sound waves. Sound frequency is the number of waves passing through a given time period. High noise is the result of short waves coming in and going out very quickly, while a few, slow fluctuations cause a low pitch. How loud the sound is depends on the size of the wave, or the difference between the high and low pressures created by the air by that sound wave. Now, in order to be able to pick up and identify sounds from tones to barking to Beyonce, sound waves must reach the ear canal where those waves and fluctuations of air pressure can register and be converted into signals that the brain can understand. So again, it all depends on the strength of the action. But, how does noise get in there? Your ear is divided into three parts: the outer ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear. The outer and middle ear is only involved in hearing, while the intricate inner ear is the key to both hearing and maintaining your balance.
So the pinna, or auricle, is the part you can see, and move, and touch, or refine with an earring. It is made up of flexible cartilage covered with skin, and its main function is to catch sound waves, and then transmit them deep into the ear. When the sound is caught, it is placed on the floor of the acoustic meatus outside, or the auditory canal, and is directed to your middle and inner ear. The sound waves emanating from the auditory canal eventually collide with the tympanic membrane, which you may know as the eardrum. This membrane of connective tissue is very sensitive, flexible, and slightly shaped cone is the boundary between the outer and middle ear. When the sweet sound of your favorite jam hits the eardrum, it pushes it back and forth, causing it to vibrate to transmit the vibrations to the tiny bones in the middle ear. Now, the middle ear, also called the tympanic cavity, is the channel for transmission between the outer and inner ear. Its main function is to amplify the sound waves to enter the inner ear. And you have to magnify them, because the inner ear moves sound with a special liquid, not in the air - and if you have been swimming you know that walking in the liquid can be much harder than walking in the air.
The tympanic cavity concentrates the pressure of sound waves so that they are strong enough to transport fluid to the inner ear. And this it does with the use of sound ossicles-- the three smallest bones, and their incredible design in the human body: the malleus, incus, and stapes, commonly known as the hammer, the anvil, and the stirrup. One part of the malleus connects to the inner eardrum and goes back and forth as the drum vibrates. One end is attached to the incus, which is also attached to the stapes. Together they form a chain that transports the eardrum vibration to another membrane - a high circular window - where they place the fluid in the inner ear to move it. The inner ear is where things get difficult, but they are interesting and also mysterious. With one of the most complex anatomy of your entire body, it is not surprising that it is known as the labyrinth. This small, complex structure is built securely inside your head, because it has two very important functions to perform: First, turn that physical vibration into the electrical energy that the brain can perceive as sounds.
And two: to help maintain your balance so you always know which way to go up and down, which seems simple, but very important. To do this, the labyrinth actually requires two layers - the skeletal labyrinth, which is a large system filled with wavy wormholes fluid - and the membranous labyrinth, a continuous series of bags and pipes within the skeletal labyrinth which basically follows its shape. .
Posts
0 Comments