Definition of Equivalent Decimals. Decimalsâ¦sometimes, they can be a little confusing. How can we tell if two decimals are equivalent, even if they appear differently on the page? How can the lowly zero aid in the detection of equivalent decimals? Well, if you stick with me, you'll have found the answers to these questions and mastered equivalent decimals by the end of this lesson!
The ossicles (also called auditory ossicles) are three bones in either middle ear that are among the smallest bones in the human body. They serve to transmit sounds from the air to the fluid-filled labyrinth (cochlea). The absence of the auditory ossicles would constitute a moderate-to-severe hearing loss. The term ossicle literally means tiny bone and, though the term may refer to any small bone throughout the body, it typically refers to the malleus, incus, and stapes (hammer, anvil, and stirrup) of the middle ear.
Sound is conducted through the ear as follows: The outer ear collects and directs sound waves from the environment through the ear canal to the tympanic membrane. The tympanic membrane (ear drum) is a thin membrane that separates the outer ear from the middle ear. Sound waves cause the vibration of the ear drum, which in turn transmits those vibrations to three tiny bones in the middle ear, called the ossicles, which causes the ossicles to vibrate. The stapes, the innermost of the three ossicles, is connected to the oval window.