Which structure connects the outer ear to the eardrum and is lined with glands that secrete cerumen?

Which structure connects the outer ear to the eardrum and is lined with glands that secrete cerumen?

• A. Outer Ear
• B. Ear Canal
• C. Eardrum
• D. Eustachian Tube

Answer: (B)

The ear canal, also called the external auditory canal, is the structure that connects the outer ear to the eardrum. Its lining contains ceruminous glands that secrete cerumen (earwax), which helps trap dust and protect the tympanic membrane. Sound waves travel through the canal and cause the eardrum to vibrate. The other options don’t fit: the eardrum is a membrane that vibrates in response to sound but isn’t lined with glands; the Eustachian tube links the middle ear to the throat and helps equalize pressure but has no ceruminous glands; the outer ear is the broader region, not the specific canal that has glands for cerumen.

The ear canal, also called the external auditory canal, is the structure that connects the outer ear to the eardrum. Its lining contains ceruminous glands that secrete cerumen (earwax), which helps trap dust and protect the tympanic membrane. Sound waves travel through the canal and cause the eardrum to vibrate. The other options don’t fit: the eardrum is a membrane that vibrates in response to sound but isn’t lined with glands; the Eustachian tube links the middle ear to the throat and helps equalize pressure but has no ceruminous glands; the outer ear is the broader region, not the specific canal that has glands for cerumen.