The main components of the ear

The auditory system consists of the outer ear,
the middle ear, and the inner ear. Sound waves
are funneled through the outer ear (auricle) and
transmitted through the external ear canal to
the tympanic membrane, which they cause to
vibrate. These vibrations are transmitted
through the tympanic cavity of the middle ear
by a chain of three movable bones, the malleus,
the incus, and the stapes. Three major cavities
form the inner ear: the vestibule, the cochlea,
and the semicircular canals. The chochlea is the
site where auditory signals are processed. The
cochlea contains amembranous labyrinth filled
with a fluid, the endolymph. The vestibular apparatus
includes three semicircular canals
oriented at 90! degree angles to each other.
They respond to rotatory and linear acceleration.
Signals received here are transmitted via
the vestibular nerve, which fuses with the
cochlear nerve to form the acoustic nerve. The
latter transmits the information to the brain.