Question

Explain how transduction occurs in the ear. In the process of explaining, be sure to name and explain the parts of the inner, middle, and outer ears, as well as how the organ of corti functions.

Answer 1

The transduction in ear occurs in the inner ear (cochlea). In human autitory system, the sound vibrations which are a form of mechanical energy are transduced into the electrical energy by hair cells in the inner ear . The sound vibrations formed from an object which cause vibrations to the air molecules, which results in the vibration of ear drum.

The ear is made up of three parts mainly the outer, the middle, and the inner ear. The outer ear includes auricle, auditory canal, eardrum outer layer. Middle ear consists of eardrum, cavity and ossicles ( malleus, incus and stapes) . Inner ear includes oval window, semicircular ducts, cochlea, auditory tube. The organ of corti is a specialized sensory epithelium which allows the transduction of sound vibrations into the neutral siganls.