Question

Sound is transmitted from middle ear to internal ear due to
A) Vibrations of tympanum
B) Vibrations of stapes
C) Striking of stapes
D) All of the above

Answer 1

Hint:The part of the ear considered as the middle ear that is present in the middle portion of the eardrum and the oval window, it is involved in the transmission of sound to the inner ear from the outer ear. The sounds are transmitted to the inner ear in the form of waves.

Complete answer
The Sound waves are transmitted further into the ear via three bones in the middle ear. The three bones are named after their shapes: the malleus (hammer), incus (anvil) and stapes (stirrup): these three bones form a kind of bridge, and the stirrup, that is the last bone where the sounds reach, is attached to the oval window.

The middle ear works as an acoustic transformer that amplifies the waves of sound until they travel on to the inner ear while the sound waves are moved from the eardrum to the oval window. Vibrations are transmitted by the eardrum to the ossicle malleus of the ear that passes the vibration to the incus and lastly to the stapes.

The tiny stapes bone linked to the oval window which connects the middle ear to the inner ear. Stapes strike opposite to the oval window in back and forth direction and transmits the vibrations to cochlear fluid of inner ear through the oval window.

Hence, the correct answer is option ( C) i.e, Striking of stapes.

Note:The pressure of the sound waves on the oval window is some 20 times higher than on the eardrum. The inner ear is composed of two parts: the cochlea for hearing and the vestibular system for balance.