3 parts of the OUTER ear and their function
The 3 parts of the external ear are the pinna, the ear canal and the eardrum.. At unProfesor we tell you and we discover what the function is.
The ear It is a very complex auditory system that consists of several arts. When all of them work together, the ear is capable of capture and process different sounds, so that these reach the brain, in the form of information. To do this, the ear is divided into 3 parts: outer ear, middle ear and inner ear. Each of these areas fulfills a very important function and, without any of them, hearing could be hindered or even disabled.
In this lesson from a TEACHER, we want to explain in detail What are the parts of the external ear and the functions of each of them.
The external ear is the outer part of the ear. The function of this area is to capture sound waves from outside and direct them to the inside of the ear.
Let us remember that the ear this compound by 3 parts:
- The external ear: It corresponds to the visible part of the ear (the pinna), but also to the ear canal and the eardrum. Allows you to receive sounds.
- The middle ear: It is made up of 3 ossicles or ossicles (hammer, stapes and incus) that transmit vibrations to the inner ear.
- The inner ear: transforms sounds into nerve signals that the brain then deciphers.
If the outer ear is not properly cared for, the outer ear area could be exposed to various diseases or infections. Furthermore, it is important to highlight that the external ear is the one that is in direct contact with external agentsTherefore, it is a direct passageway for bacteria and should be protected correctly, in order to avoid any type of damage.
Image: Kids Health
As we mentioned before, the outer ear is composed of 3 parts that work together, to facilitate hearing in the middle and inner ear. Here is a review of the parts of the outer ear and their function.
The auditory pavilion
He auditory pavilion It is the only visible part of the ear and we know it as ear. It has a very characteristic helical shape. This is the first component of the external ear anatomy that is capable of reacting to sound. The auditory pavilion works as a kind of funnel which helps direct sound directly into the ear.
If we did not have this funnel (ears), the sound waves would have a direct path to the ear canal. This would mean that we would not be able to hear well, since much of the sound would be lost and it would be more difficult to hear and practically impossible to understand the sounds.
The ear pinna is essential in the hearing process, due to the pressure difference that exists between the inside and outside of the ear. The air resistance is much greater inside than outside, because the air inside the ear is compressed to a much higher pressure.
So that the sound waves can enter the ear in the best possible way, the air resistance should not be too high. For this reason, when it is very windy, we cannot hear well. Ears are essential for help beat the pressure that exists inside the ear.
This part of the body functions as an intermediate joint that allows pressure transition Be very soft, so that as many sounds penetrate the ear canal.
The ear canal
The auditory conductor is another part of the external ear. When the sound waves have penetrated the ear, they travel about two or three centimeters inside the ear canal, before reaching the eardrum. The function of this channel, therefore, is transport the sounds captured by the ear and take them directly to the eardrum, where they will hit.
The eardrum
The last part of the external ear is the eardrum, also known as the tympanic membrane. It is a membrane that is located at the end of the ear canal and marks the beginning of the middle ear. The eardrum is a very sensitive organ that vibrates due to the pressure exerted on it by sound waves.
To protect the eardrum, the ear canal curves slightly making it very difficult to pass through. no body enters itFor example, a small insect, dirt or a speck of dust. In the same way, the cerumen or ear wax found in the external auditory canal works as a barrier to keep all unwanted elements out of the human ear.
The external auditory canal, in addition to protecting the eardrum, acts as a natural hearing aid which automatically amplifies the low and less penetrating sounds around us.
We hope that this lesson has been able to help you better understand the Parts of the external ear and their functions. If you want to continue learning more about the anatomy of the human body, do not hesitate to consult our biology section, where we will accompany you on this wonderful walk to get to know living beings.
The function of the external ear is capture sound vibrations before channeling them into the middle ear and allowing them to reach the inner ear.
When sounds pass through the outer ear are increased or decreased due to the diffraction effects that occur, depending on the shape of the pinna and head of each person. That is to say, the sound is modified so that it is possible to process it in the other, innermost parts of the ear. Furthermore, this is the most resistant part of the 3 that make up the auditory system.
The outer ear also makes the distance between the inner ear and the brain shorter. This is very beneficial for hearing health, since reduces the propagation time of nerve impulses.
Image source: Audix Hearing Center
