ABSTRACT
This chapter recounts the events that mediate the transduction of the sound wave from air to the fluids of the inner ear and treats the mechanical disturbance of the receptor elements themselves. It discusses the three major divisions of the auditory organ, the outer, middle, and inner ear. The chapter focuses on the motion of the basilar membrane. The most important functional property of the outer ear is the role it plays in sound localization. Anatomically the middle ear contains the tympanic membrane and three small bones or ossicles that conduct sound to the oval window. It is important to understand the physical properties of the basilar membrane and how it vibrates. Von Bekesy proposed an analogous system that provides a better intuitive feel for how the membrane responds to acoustic stimulation. The chapter considers how the hair cells are stimulated. The small cilia on top of the hair cells are subjected to a mechanical force.
