The Inner Ear
The inside part of the ear, the inner ear, is about
the size of a pea. The cochlea is in this part
of the ear and is shaped like a snail. It is filled with fluid and tiny
hair cells with nerve endings. Vibrations are passed from the stirrup
to the fluid. The hairs pick up vibrations from the fluid, and when the
hair vibrates the message is sent to the nerve fiber and then carried to
the brain by the auditory nerve. The brain tells
a person that he has heard a sound. The semicircular
canals help to control balance.
