Ureche

Ureche is the Romanian word for ear. The ear is the organ responsible for hearing and balance. It is divided into three main parts: the outer ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear.

The outer ear consists of the auricle, also known as the pinna, and the ear canal. The auricle is the visible, cartilaginous part of the ear that collects sound waves and directs them into the ear canal. The ear canal is a tube that transmits these sound waves to the eardrum.

The middle ear begins at the eardrum, a thin membrane that vibrates when struck by sound waves. These vibrations are then amplified and transmitted through three small bones: the malleus, incus, and stapes. This chain of bones connects the eardrum to the oval window, an opening into the inner ear.

The inner ear contains the cochlea, which is responsible for hearing, and the semicircular canals and vestibule, which are responsible for balance. Within the cochlea, the vibrations from the middle ear are converted into electrical signals that are sent to the brain via the auditory nerve, where they are interpreted as sound. The semicircular canals detect rotational movements, while the vestibule detects linear acceleration, both contributing to the sense of balance.