Question

Indicate whether the given structure is located in the outer, middle, or inner ear. pharngotympanic tube helicotrema stapedius

Answer 1

Answer:

• The pharngotympanic tube is in the middle ear.

• The helicotrema is in the inner ear.

• The stapedius is in the middle ear.

Explanation:

The ear has three main parts, the outer part, the middle part, and the inner part. The outer part of the ear starts in the auricle, then it continues with the auditory canal, and it finishes with the eardrum. Then we have the middle ear that is separated from the outer one with the eardrum. In this section, it is the pharngotympanic tube, also known as the Eustachian tube. It is a tube that connects the inner ear with the pharynx to regulate internal pressure.

The inner ear has the bony labyrinth and the membranous labyrinth. In this part of the ear, the mechanical signals are transformed into electrical signals. The bony labyrinth has the cochlea, the vestibule, and the semicircular canals. The helicotrema is in the cochlea, and it connects the tympanic duct with the vestibular duct.

The stapedius is a muscle located in the middle ear. Its insertion is in the stapes, a small bone that moves with the vibrations that come from the eardrum to the malleus and the stapes. The stapedius' function is to protect our hearing by reducing the vibrations that enter this part of the ear.