HB-109 · Special Senses · Part
Inner ear
Also called: inner ear Auris interna
Schematic 3D Classes 9-10 · Classes 11-12 Intermediate Draft - educator review
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Parts: cochlea; semicircular canals; vestibule; vestibulocochlear nerve
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About
The inner ear has the cochlea for hearing and the vestibule and semicircular canals for balance.
- 📍 Where it is
- Deep in the temporal bone.
- 🧱 Structure
- Bony and membranous labyrinth filled with fluid: cochlea, vestibule (utricle and saccule) and three semicircular canals, with the vestibulocochlear nerve.
- ⚙️ What it does
- Turns fluid waves into nerve signals for hearing and senses head position and movement.
💡 Key facts
- Hair cells in the cochlea detect different pitches along its length.
- The three canals are at right angles to each other.
- Spinning makes the fluid keep moving, which makes you dizzy.
✗ Balance comes only from the eyes
✓ The inner ear, eyes and muscle sensors work together.
📒 Words to know
- labyrinth
- maze of inner ear passages
- hair cell
- sound or motion receptor
- vestibule
- balance chamber
🏫 Related lessons
- Human body, senses and hygiene Classes 1-5
- Human eye and optical phenomena Classes 9-10
- Sound Classes 6-8
Generic GayaGnan topic lessons. Check your own board's syllabus for the exact chapter.
🔎 Sources and credits
Catalog description: Hearing and balance structures.
- OpenStax Anatomy and Physiology 2e, ch. 14 (special senses) (accessed 2026-10-30)
- 3D models: BodyParts3D (DBCLS) and the Human Reference Atlas (HuBMAP), CC BY 4.0, with GayaGnan schematics. 3D model credits
For learning only. This site does not give medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, and it does not collect any health data.