Download (Level 2) My Ears - Glasgow Science Centre

My Ears
Learning Objective: I can identify and describe the function of different parts of
the human ear.
Learning Experiences: I have explored the structure and function of sensory
organs to develop
my understanding of body actions in response to outside conditions SCN 2-12b
Match the letters on the diagram below with the boxes next to the correct
descriptions
B
C
D
A
E
H
F
G
I
Pinna – I’m the folds of skin and cartilage that people normally think of as being ‘ears’. My
job is to collect sound waves and send them to the ear canal.
Stirrup – I’m the smallest bone in the human body. I’m connected to the Anvil and the
Cochlea. When the Anvil moves, it rubs me against the Cochlea and sends sound waves to
the inner ear.
Anvil – I’m a tiny bone between the Hammer and the Stirrup. When the eardrum moves
the hammer, I get struck and push the Stirrup.
Hammer – When the Ear Drum Vibrate, the ear drum moves me to strike the anvil.
Ear Drum – I’m a thin layer of skin – also called a membrane at the end of the ear canal.
When sound waves reach me, I vibrate.
Ear Canal – I’m a long tube that sound waves travel through to reach the ear drum.
Cochlea – I’m shaped like a snail, filled with fluid and have lots of little hairs on top of my
cells. The stirrup hits me and sends waves through the liquid inside me, these waves move
the tiny hairs that mark the start of the auditory nerve.
Semi-circular Canals – We control your balance and each of us detects a different
movement: Upwards, downwards and sideways!
Auditory Nerve – I send auditory information to your brain so you can interpret the
sounds that you’re hearing.