The ear is the organ that enables hearing and balance. It can be divided into three parts:
- The outer ear
- The middle ear
- The inner ear
The auricle or pinna and the ear canal belong to the outer ear. This is the only visible part of the ear in humans. The middle ear consists of the tympanic cavity and the three ossicles, which are very small bones:
- Malleus (hammer)
- Incus (anvil)
- Stapes (stirrup)
These little bones are able to transmit sound vibrations from the air that are caught by the tympanic membrane and transmit them to the inner ear. The labyrinth or inner ear is located inside the temporal bone, and it translates the movements of the ossicles into electric signals that can be sent through the nerves to the brain. This process allows humans to hear sounds and maintain balance.