Which coil contains the organ of Corti that transmits impulses to the auditory nerve?

• A. Cochlea
• B. Vestibule
• C. Semicircular canals
• D. Stapes

Answer: (A)

The key idea is where the organ of Corti is and how it sends hearing signals. The organ of Corti is located in the cochlea, on the basilar membrane inside the cochlear duct. When sound waves travel through the inner ear, they cause the fluid-filled cochlea to move, which makes the basilar membrane ripple. This motion bends the hair cells within the organ of Corti, converting mechanical energy into electrical signals that travel along the auditory nerve to the brain. The vestibule and semicircular canals are involved in balance, not hearing, and the stapes is a middle-ear bone that transmits vibrations toward the inner ear but does not contain the organ of Corti.