01 / Location & anatomical relationships
At the inner end of the outer ear canal.
02 / Structure & organization
The tympanic membrane separates the external acoustic canal from the middle ear. Its main tense portion has epithelial, fibrous and mucosal layers. The handle of the malleus attaches to its inner surface.
03 / Function
Sound makes it vibrate, passing movement to tiny middle-ear bones.
04 / Mechanism
Sound waves make the thin membrane move back and forth. It passes those vibrations to the first of three tiny middle-ear bones. These bones carry the movement toward the inner ear.
Part of a bigger picture
The eardrum belongs in our brain & senses collection. Explore the nearby parts to see how this area of the body fits together.
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Connect structure with function
Sound pressure moves the membrane and then the ossicles. Pressure equalization across it depends on ventilation of the middle ear through the auditory tube.
Check your understanding
Locate the eardrum in relation to its neighbors. Explain how the structural features described above support its function, then distinguish it from a nearby structure with a different role.
Keep learning
Continue with OpenStax Anatomy and Physiology for system-level study. This atlas is educational and has not undergone independent medical peer review.