LESSON PLAN

PHYSIOLOGY OF HEARING

SUMITTED BY
PULKITA
CLINICAL INSTRUCTOR
 LESSON PLAN
Subject- Physiology
Unit- 7
Topic- Physiology of hearing
Group- b.sc 1 st year
Place- class room
Date and time- 45 min
Teaching method- lecture cum discussion
Av aids/instructional aids- white board
Student pre requisite- students have some knowledge regarding basic anatomy of ear and its functions.

General objective – at the end of class the students will be able to acquire knowledge regarding
physiology of hearing.

Specific objective- at the end of class student will be able to-

 Describe basic anatomy of ear
 Define physiology of hearing
 Explain physiology of hearing.

Review of previous class- students have some knowledge regarding physiology of hearing.

Introduction- Hearing starts with the outer ear. When a sound is made outside the outer ear,
the sound waves, or vibrations, travel down the external auditory canal and strike the
eardrum (tympanic membrane). The eardrum vibrates. The vibrations are then passed to 3
tiny bones in the middle ear called the ossicles.
S.no Time Specific Content Teaching and Evaluation
objective learning
activity
1 15 min To describe Basic anatomy of ear LECTURE WHITEBOARD
basic anatomy CUM
of ear. The outer ear consists of DISCUSSION
skin and cartilage, called the
auricle, or pinna, and the ear
canal. The ear drum, or
tympanic membrane, is a
thin membrane that
separates the outer ear from
the middle ear. The middle
ear is an air-filled chamber
containing three small bones
called ossicles.

The ear is the organ of hearing and

balance. The parts of the ear
include:

External or outer ear, consisting

of:
Pinna or auricle. This is the outside
part of the ear.
External auditory canal or
tube. This is the tube that connects
the outer ear to the inside or middle
ear.
Tympanic
membrane (eardrum). The
tympanic membrane divides the
external ear from the middle ear.
Middle ear (tympanic cavity),
consisting of:
Ossicles. Three small bones that are
connected and transmit the sound
waves to the inner ear. The bones
are called:
Malleus
Incus
Stapes
Eustachian tube. A canal that links
the middle ear with the back of the
nose. The eustachian tube helps to
equalize the pressure in the middle
ear. Equalized pressure is needed for
the proper transfer of sound waves.
 The eustachian tube is lined with
mucous, just like the inside of the
nose and throat.
Inner ear, consisting of:
Cochlea. This contains the nerves
for hearing.
Vestibule. This contains receptors
for balance.
Semicircular canals. This contains
receptors for balance.

Physiology of hearing

The hearing is the process by

which sound vibrations
transform from the external
environment into action
potentials. Vibrating objects
produce sounds, like the strings
of a guitar, and this vibrations
2 10 min Define pressure pulses into air LECTURE
physiology of molecules, better known as CUM WHITEBOARD
hearing. sound waves. DISCUSSION
OR
Hearing is the process by which
the ear transforms sound
vibrations in the external
environment into nerve
impulses that are conveyed to
the brain, where they are
interpreted as sounds.

PHYSIOLOGY OF HEARING

1. Sound waves enter the

outer ear and travel
through a narrow
passageway called the
ear canal, which leads
to the eardrum.
3 15 min Explain in 2. The eardrum vibrates LECTURE WHITEBOARD
detail CUM
from the incoming
physiology of DISCUSSION
sound waves and sends
hearing.
these vibrations to
three tiny bones in the
 middle ear. These bones
are called the malleus,
incus, and stapes.
3. The bones in the middle
ear amplify, or increase,
the sound vibrations
and send them to the
cochlea, a snail-shaped
structure filled with
fluid, in the inner ear.
An elastic partition runs
from the beginning to
the end of the cochlea,
splitting it into an upper
and lower part. This
partition is called the
basilar membrane
because it serves as the
base, or ground floor,
on which key hearing
structures sit.
4. Once the vibrations
cause the fluid inside
the cochlea to ripple, a
traveling wave forms
along the basilar
membrane. Hair cells—
sensory cells sitting on
top of the basilar
membrane—ride the
wave. Hair cells near
the wide end of the
snail-shaped cochlea
detect higher-pitched
sounds, such as an
infant crying. Those
closer to the center
detect lower-pitched
sounds, such as a
large dog barking.
5. As the hair cells move
up and down,
microscopic hair-like
projections (known as
stereocilia) that perch
on top of the hair cells
bump against an
overlying structure
 and bend. Bending
causes pore-like
channels, which are
at the tips of the
stereocilia, to open
up. When that
happens, chemicals
rush into the cells,
creating an electrical
signal.
6. The auditory nerve
carries this electrical
signal to the brain,
which turns it into a
sound that we
recognize and
understand.

Summmary and evaluation

Summary
Hearing starts with the outer ear. When a sound is made outside the outer ear, the
sound waves, or vibrations, travel down the external auditory canal and strike the
eardrum (tympanic membrane). The eardrum vibrates. The vibrations are then
passed to 3 tiny bones in the middle ear called the ossicles.
Evaluation
The student will be able to define physiology of hearing and describe the
involvement of different structures in ear.