Neurons, Nervous System, and Signal Transmission Practice Test

The middle ear contains the auditory ossicles that transmit vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear. The malleus, the hammer bone, is one of these three small bones (along with the incus and stapes) and is directly connected to the eardrum, placing it squarely in the middle ear. In contrast, the cochlea and semicircular canals are parts of the inner ear, with the cochlea handling hearing and the semicircular canals helping with balance, while the external auditory canal is part of the outer ear. So the structure that belongs to the middle ear is the malleus.