Outer ear
External and middle ear, opened from the front. Right side.
The auricula. Lateral surface.
Gray's	subject #229 1033
MeSH	External+Ear
Dorlands/Elsevier	Outer ear

The outer ear has no bones. It is the external portion of the ear, which consists of the pinna, concha, and auditory meatus. It gathers sound energy and focuses it on the eardrum (tympanic membrane). One consequence of the configuration of the external ear is to selectively boost the sound pressure 30- to 100-fold for frequencies around 3 kHz. This amplification makes humans most sensitive to frequencies in this range - and also explains why they are particularly prone to acoustical injury and hearing loss near this frequency. Most human speech sounds are also distributed in the bandwidth around 3 kHz.

[edit] Pinna, or auricle

The visible part is called the pinna and functions to collect and focus sound waves. It is composed of a thin plate of yellow elastic cartilage, covered with integument, and connected to the surrounding parts by ligaments and muscles; and to the commencement of the external acoustic meatus by fibrous tissue. Many mammals can move the pinna (with the auriculares muscles) in order to focus their hearing in a certain direction in much the same way that they can turn their eyes. Most humans, unlike most other mammals, do not have this ability.

[edit] Ear canal, or external auditory meatus

From the pinna the sound pressure waves move into the ear canal, a simple tube running through the middle ear. This tube leads inward from the bottom of the auricula and conducts the vibrations to the tympanic cavity and amplifies frequencies in the range 3 kHz to 12 kHz.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Outer ear

v • d • e Sensory system: Auditory and Vestibular systems (TA A15.3, GA 10.1029) Outer ear Pinna (Helix, Antihelix, Tragus, Antitragus, Earlobe) • Ear canal • Auricular muscles Eardrum (Umbo, Pars flaccida) Middle ear Tympanic cavity Labyrinthine wall/medial: Oval window · Round window • Secondary tympanic membrane • Prominence of facial canal • Promontory of tympanic cavity Membranous wall/lateral Mastoid wall/posterior: Mastoid cells • Aditus to mastoid antrum • Pyramidal eminence Carotid wall/anterior Tegmental wall/roof: Epitympanic recess Jugular wall/floor Ossicles Malleus (Neck of malleus, Superior ligament of malleus, Lateral ligament of malleus, Anterior ligament of malleus) · Incus (Superior ligament of incus, Posterior ligament of incus) · Stapes (Anular ligament of stapes) Muscles Stapedius · Tensor tympani Eustachian tube Bony part of pharyngotympanic tube · Cartilage of pharyngotympanic tube (Torus tubarius) Inner ear/ (membranous labyrinth, bony labyrinth) Auditory system Cochlear labyrinth General cochlea Scala vestibuli • Helicotrema • Scala tympani • Modiolus • Cochlear cupula Perilymphatic space Perilymph • Cochlear aqueduct Cochlear duct / scala media Reissner's/vestibular membrane • Basilar membrane Endolymph • Stria vascularis • Spiral ligament Organ of Corti: Stereocilia • Tectorial membrane • Sulcus spiralis (externus, internus) • Spiral limbus Vestibular system/ Vestibular labyrinth Static/translations/vestibule/endolymphatic duct: Utricle (Macula) · Saccule (Macula, Endolymphatic sac) · Kinocilium · Otolith • Vestibular aqueduct • Canalis reuniens Kinetic/rotations: Semicircular canals (Superior, Posterior, Horizontal) • Ampullary cupula • Ampullae (Crista ampullaris) ear navs: anat/pathways/physio/dev, noncongen/congen, eponymous signs, proc

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