ASLP 3030 EXAM 1 | STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION COMPLETE STUDY
GUIDE & EXAM REVIEW 2026/2027
outer and middle ear - ANS ✔✔What makes up the conductive mechanism
inner ear - ANS ✔✔What makes up the sensory mechanism
central auditory nervous system (CANS) - ANS ✔✔what. makes up the central mechanism
conductive, sensory - ANS ✔✔The peripheral system includes __________ and ___________
mechanisms
Petrous portion of the temporal bone - ANS ✔✔What houses the end-organs of hearing
pinna - ANS ✔✔outermost portion of the auditory system
pinna - ANS ✔✔collects, localizes, and amplifies sound
External Auditory meatus (outer ear canal) - ANS ✔✔A canal in the temporal bone that leads from the
auricle to the tympanic membrane
outer ear canal - ANS ✔✔directs/transports sound, protects the ear, amplifies sound
S shape and production of earwax - ANS ✔✔what factors contribute to the outer ear canal's function of
protecting the ear?
tympanic membrane (eardrum) - ANS ✔✔Elastic structure that separates the outer ear from the middle
ear cavity
tympanic membrane - ANS ✔✔transmits and converts sound waves, amplifies sound, protection,
pressure regulation
tympanic membrane - ANS ✔✔parts include:
-pars tensa
-pars flaccida
-cone of light
-umbo
ossicles - ANS ✔✔Threes small bones (malleus, incus, stapes) that cross the middle ear cavity and
transmit vibrations from the tympanic membrane to the inner ear
Ossicles - ANS ✔✔transform and amplify sound
Tensor tympani muscle - ANS ✔✔Attached to malleus and innervated bya branch of the CN V
, Stapedius muscle - ANS ✔✔Attached to posterior portion of middle ear space and stapes and innervated
by CN VII
Acoustic Reflex - ANS ✔✔the contraction of the stapedius muscle within the middle ear in response to a
loud sound
middle ear muscles - ANS ✔✔dampens loud sounds and reduces low-frequency noise (high pass filtering
Eustachian tube - ANS ✔✔The tube connecting the middle ear cavity to the nasopharynx
Eustachian tube - ANS ✔✔equalize air pressure on the lateral and medial sides of the tympanic
membrane, drain middle ear secretions, provide air supply for the middle ear's tissues
Conductive mechanism - ANS ✔✔function: conduct sound energy throughthe auditory system
Outer ear - ANS ✔✔Function: protection, localization, funnel sound, amplifies sound
middle ear - ANS ✔✔Function: transforms acoustic signals to mechanical vibrations, regulates middle
ear pressure, amplifies sounds, filtering, protection
stapes, perilymph - ANS ✔✔The footplate of the _______ rests on the oval window, which then contacts
a very dense fluid of the inner ear called ___________
Impedance - ANS ✔✔opposition to energy flow by a medium
high - ANS ✔✔Wate is a ________ impedance. medium
low - ANS ✔✔air is a ________ impedance. medium
high-impedance medium - ANS ✔✔When a sound reaches a ________________, little sound is
absorbed, with the majority of it is reflected away.
Condensation effect (area ratio)
leveler action of the malleus and incus
curved membrane buckling mechanism - ANS ✔✔How to overcome impedance mismatch
Condensation effect (area ratio) - ANS ✔✔Difference in area between the tympanic membraneand the
footplate of the stapes, causing an increase inpressure
increases - ANS ✔✔if pressure is reduced, pressure ________
Leveler action - ANS ✔✔fulcrum displacement from the relationship between the malleus and the incus
causes movement reduction
curved, smaller - ANS ✔✔the shape of the tympanic membrane is _________, which helps to focus the
sound energy onto the ________ surface area of the ossicles, providing further mechanical advantage in
transferring the vibrations to the cochlea.
GUIDE & EXAM REVIEW 2026/2027
outer and middle ear - ANS ✔✔What makes up the conductive mechanism
inner ear - ANS ✔✔What makes up the sensory mechanism
central auditory nervous system (CANS) - ANS ✔✔what. makes up the central mechanism
conductive, sensory - ANS ✔✔The peripheral system includes __________ and ___________
mechanisms
Petrous portion of the temporal bone - ANS ✔✔What houses the end-organs of hearing
pinna - ANS ✔✔outermost portion of the auditory system
pinna - ANS ✔✔collects, localizes, and amplifies sound
External Auditory meatus (outer ear canal) - ANS ✔✔A canal in the temporal bone that leads from the
auricle to the tympanic membrane
outer ear canal - ANS ✔✔directs/transports sound, protects the ear, amplifies sound
S shape and production of earwax - ANS ✔✔what factors contribute to the outer ear canal's function of
protecting the ear?
tympanic membrane (eardrum) - ANS ✔✔Elastic structure that separates the outer ear from the middle
ear cavity
tympanic membrane - ANS ✔✔transmits and converts sound waves, amplifies sound, protection,
pressure regulation
tympanic membrane - ANS ✔✔parts include:
-pars tensa
-pars flaccida
-cone of light
-umbo
ossicles - ANS ✔✔Threes small bones (malleus, incus, stapes) that cross the middle ear cavity and
transmit vibrations from the tympanic membrane to the inner ear
Ossicles - ANS ✔✔transform and amplify sound
Tensor tympani muscle - ANS ✔✔Attached to malleus and innervated bya branch of the CN V
, Stapedius muscle - ANS ✔✔Attached to posterior portion of middle ear space and stapes and innervated
by CN VII
Acoustic Reflex - ANS ✔✔the contraction of the stapedius muscle within the middle ear in response to a
loud sound
middle ear muscles - ANS ✔✔dampens loud sounds and reduces low-frequency noise (high pass filtering
Eustachian tube - ANS ✔✔The tube connecting the middle ear cavity to the nasopharynx
Eustachian tube - ANS ✔✔equalize air pressure on the lateral and medial sides of the tympanic
membrane, drain middle ear secretions, provide air supply for the middle ear's tissues
Conductive mechanism - ANS ✔✔function: conduct sound energy throughthe auditory system
Outer ear - ANS ✔✔Function: protection, localization, funnel sound, amplifies sound
middle ear - ANS ✔✔Function: transforms acoustic signals to mechanical vibrations, regulates middle
ear pressure, amplifies sounds, filtering, protection
stapes, perilymph - ANS ✔✔The footplate of the _______ rests on the oval window, which then contacts
a very dense fluid of the inner ear called ___________
Impedance - ANS ✔✔opposition to energy flow by a medium
high - ANS ✔✔Wate is a ________ impedance. medium
low - ANS ✔✔air is a ________ impedance. medium
high-impedance medium - ANS ✔✔When a sound reaches a ________________, little sound is
absorbed, with the majority of it is reflected away.
Condensation effect (area ratio)
leveler action of the malleus and incus
curved membrane buckling mechanism - ANS ✔✔How to overcome impedance mismatch
Condensation effect (area ratio) - ANS ✔✔Difference in area between the tympanic membraneand the
footplate of the stapes, causing an increase inpressure
increases - ANS ✔✔if pressure is reduced, pressure ________
Leveler action - ANS ✔✔fulcrum displacement from the relationship between the malleus and the incus
causes movement reduction
curved, smaller - ANS ✔✔the shape of the tympanic membrane is _________, which helps to focus the
sound energy onto the ________ surface area of the ossicles, providing further mechanical advantage in
transferring the vibrations to the cochlea.
