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incus
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Diagram of the human ear showing how sound waves travel through the outer ear and auditory canal to the tympanic membrane, causing vibrations in the ossicles, and then through the middle and inner ear, including the cochlea. Color-coded sections highlight the outer ear in orange, middle ear in pink, and inner ear in blue. structures of the middle ear
Know how human ears help to perceive and distinguish sounds
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incus

anatomy
Also known as: anvil
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Diagram of the human ear showing how sound waves travel through the outer ear and auditory canal to the tympanic membrane, causing vibrations in the ossicles, and then through the middle and inner ear, including the cochlea. Color-coded sections highlight the outer ear in orange, middle ear in pink, and inner ear in blue.
human ear canal In human hearing, sound waves enter the outer ear and travel through the external auditory canal. When the waves reach the tympanic membrane, they cause the membrane and the attached chain of auditory ossicles to vibrate. The motion of the stapes against the oval window sets up waves in the fluids of the cochlea, causing the basilar membrane to vibrate. This stimulates the sensory cells of the organ of Corti, atop the basilar membrane, to send nerve impulses to the brain.

The incus, also known as the anvil, is one of the three tiny bones in the middle ear of all mammals. It forms part of a chain with the malleus (hammer) and stapes (stirrup) that transmits sound vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear. The incus resembles a premolar tooth with an extensive root system. It plays a crucial role in the transmission of sound, acting as an impedance matching device to overcome the difference between air and fluid resistance, thereby allowing us to hear.123

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4 Britannica Sources
  1. ear bone
  2. incus
  3. human ear - Function of the ossicular chain
  4. incud-

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