The document summarizes the anatomy and function of the human ear. It describes the three main parts of the ear - the outer, middle, and inner ear. The outer ear collects sound waves and directs them through the ear canal to the eardrum. The middle ear contains three small bones that transmit vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear. The inner ear includes the cochlea for hearing and balance organs. It then discusses how sound is processed through these parts to the brain. The document also covers common ear injuries and causes of hearing loss.

1. By: Olaya Perez, Paula
Llaguno, Eugenia Gonzalez and
Priscila Garza

2.  Is the organ that detects sound.
 It not only receives sound, but also aids in balance and
body position.
 It contains the outer ear, the middle ear and inner
ear.

4.  The outer ear does help get sound but the ear canal is
very important.
 Unless the canal is open, hearing will be dampened.
 Ear wax is produced by glands in the skin of the outer
portion of the ear canal.
 The outer ear ends at the most superficial layer of the
tympanic membrane.
 The tympanic membrane is commonly called the ear
drum.

5.  The middle ear, an air-filled cavity behind the ear
drum (tympanic membrane), includes the three ear
bones: the malleus or hammer, incus or anvil, and
stapes.
 The arrangement of the tympanic membrane and
bones works to couple the sound from the opening of
the ear canal to the cochlea.

6.  The inner ear includes both the organ of
hearing, the cochlea, and a sense organ that is attuned
to the effects of both gravity and motion.
 The inner ear is encased in the hardest bone of the
body.
 Three fluid filled spaces: the scala tympani, the scala
vestibuli and the scala media.

7.  When something makes a noise, it sends vibrations, or
sound waves, through the air.
 When the sound waves hit your eardrum, it vibrates
and the brain interprets these vibrations as sound.
 Your eardrum, which is smaller and thinner than the
nail on your pinky finger, sends the vibrations to the
three smallest bones in your body. First the
hammer, then the anvil, and finally, the stirrup. The
stirrup passes those vibrations along a coiled tub in the
inner ear called the cochlea.

8.  Inside the cochlea there are thousands of hair-like
nerve endings, cilia. When the Cochlea vibrates, the
cilia move. Your brain is sent these messages through
the auditory nerve.
 Your brain then translates all that and tells you what
you are hearing.

9.  Falls, blows to the head, sports injuries, and even
listening to loud music can cause ear damage, which
can affect hearing and balance.
 Hearing loss and balance problems can happen when
there's damage to key parts of the ear, like the
eardrum, ear canal, bones, cochlea, or the vestibular
nerve.

10.  Earwax blockage, can prevent your ears from
conducting sounds as well as they should.
 According to the National Institutes of Health, an
estimated one-third of people in the United States
between the ages of 65 and 75 and close to one-half of
those older than 75 have some degree of hearing loss.

11.  Cuts, scrapes, burns, or frostbite. When there's an
injury to the outer ear or ear canal, bleeding and infection
can affect other parts of the ear. You can prevent it by
cleaning the cut regularly.
 Inserting something into the ear. Things like a cotton
swab, fingernail, or pencil can scratch the ear canal or
cause a tear or hole in the eardrum, called a ruptured
eardrum. You can prevent it by not putting things in your
ears.
 Direct blows to the ear or head. This type of injuries can
develop severe bruising or blood clots that block blood
flow to the cartilage of the outer ear and damage its shape
and structure. You can prevent it by protecting your head/

12.  Loud noise. When this happens, the tiny hairs in the
cochlea become damaged. You can prevent it by not
be around them or if you really have to, wear some ear
plugs.
 Sudden, significant change in air pressure. Air
pressure decreases as we go higher and increases as we
go lower. If the pressure isn't equalized, the higher air
pressure pushes on one side of the eardrum and causes
pain and sometimes partial hearing loss, called
barotrauma.