kuulmisorgani

The kuulmisorgan, or auditory organ, is the sensory system responsible for hearing. It comprises several distinct parts that work together to detect sound waves and transmit them to the brain for interpretation. The external ear, which includes the auricle (pinna) and the external auditory canal, collects sound waves and directs them towards the middle ear.

The middle ear begins with the tympanic membrane, a thin layer of tissue that vibrates when struck by sound waves. These vibrations are then amplified by three small bones: the malleus, incus, and stapes. The stapes, the smallest bone in the body, transmits these amplified vibrations to the oval window, an opening that leads to the inner ear.

The inner ear houses the cochlea, a spiral-shaped cavity filled with fluid. Within the cochlea are thousands of tiny hair cells, which are the sensory receptors for hearing. As the fluid in the cochlea vibrates, it stimulates these hair cells, which in turn generate electrical signals. These signals are then transmitted along the auditory nerve to the brain, where they are processed as sound. The brain interprets variations in frequency and amplitude of these signals as pitch and loudness, respectively. The auditory system also plays a role in balance through the vestibular system, located within the inner ear.