Question

What connects the middle ear to the nasopharynx?

Answer 1

Hint: It is the canal-like structure that joins the middle ear to the pharyngeal region that helps in maintaining the pressure of air in the human ears. It is also known as the auditory nerve and helps in the cleaning of the middle ear.

Complete answer:
It is the organ of hearing and helps in balancing for various mammals. The ear is divided into three parts In the case of mammals, the outer ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear. The eustachian tube or canal acts as the connection between the middle ear to the nasopharynx. Let us study the various parts of the human ear.
Outer ear: It constitutes the outer pinna which collects the sound from the outside and the auditory canal or the auditory nerve which helps in the traveling of the sound. This sound vibrates and moves towards the middle ear.
Middle ear: The middle ear constitutes the three ear ossicles of the ear bones that are Malleus (hammer), Incus (anvil), and Stapes (stirrup), and the eustachian tube. It is located in between the inner ear and the tympanic membrane. The ear ossicles function as an amplifier and thus help in the traveling of the sound waves. The Eustachian tube acts as the connector of the middle ear and the pharynx. It also helps in balancing the air pressure in the ear.
Inner ear: The inner ear consists of a central cavity called the vestibule, the organ of hearing called the cochlea, and the balance system called the semicircular canals. This region of the ear is present in the innermost region and is surrounded by the temporal bone. The main function of the organ of Corti found inside the cochlea helps in the conversion of the mechanical energy produced by the sound waves into the electrical impulses and thus results in the hearing.

Note:
The base of the stapes bone is located in a depression known as the oval window. The middle ear and the inner ear are separated due to the presence of the oval window and the round window. The semicircular canals are located perpendicular to both these regions.