Which middle ear bone is the first to receive vibrations from the eardrum?

Which middle ear bone is the first to receive vibrations from the eardrum?

• A. Stapes
• B. Malleus
• C. Incus
• D. Pinna

Answer: (B)

Sound vibrations set the eardrum in motion, and the first middle ear bone to pick up those vibrations is the malleus, the hammer-shaped bone that is directly attached to the tympanic membrane. Because it is connected to the eardrum, the malleus moves first and hands the vibrations along to the next ossicle, the incus, which then passes them to the stapes to transmit them to the inner ear. The pinna, by contrast, is part of the outer ear and does not participate in the middle ear’s transmission of vibrations. So the malleus is the first bone to receive the eardrum’s vibrations.

Sound vibrations set the eardrum in motion, and the first middle ear bone to pick up those vibrations is the malleus, the hammer-shaped bone that is directly attached to the tympanic membrane. Because it is connected to the eardrum, the malleus moves first and hands the vibrations along to the next ossicle, the incus, which then passes them to the stapes to transmit them to the inner ear. The pinna, by contrast, is part of the outer ear and does not participate in the middle ear’s transmission of vibrations. So the malleus is the first bone to receive the eardrum’s vibrations.