What sensory receptors are Involved in hearing
The sensory receptors involved in hearing are the hair cells in the inner ear. These cells detect sound vibrations and convert them into electrical signals that are sent to the brain.
The sensory receptors involved in hearing are called hair cells, which are located in the spiral-shaped structure of the inner ear called the cochlea. These hair cells are responsible for converting sound vibrations into electrical signals that can be interpreted by the brain.
To understand this process in more detail, let's break it down step by step:
1. Sound waves enter the ear through the ear canal and cause the eardrum to vibrate.
2. The vibrations from the eardrum are transmitted through three small bones in the middle ear called the ossicles: the malleus, incus, and stapes.
3. The last of these ossicles, the stapes, is attached to the oval window, a membrane-covered opening leading to the inner ear.
4. When the stapes vibrates against the oval window, it sets the fluid inside the cochlea in motion.
5. Within the cochlea, there are two main chambers: the scala vestibuli and the scala tympani, which are separated by a flexible membrane called the basilar membrane.
6. As the fluid inside the cochlea moves, it causes the basilar membrane to vibrate.
7. On top of the basilar membrane, there is a structure called the organ of Corti, which contains the hair cells.
8. The vibrations of the basilar membrane cause the hair cells to bend.
9. When the hair cells bend, it triggers the release of chemicals, known as neurotransmitters, which create electrical signals.
10. These electrical signals are then picked up by the auditory nerve, which carries them to the brain for interpretation and processing.
So, in summary, the sensory receptors involved in hearing are the hair cells located in the cochlea of the inner ear. These cells convert sound vibrations into electrical signals that are transmitted to the brain for perception and understanding.