The OssiclesThe three tiniest bones in the body form the coupling between the vibration of the eardrum and the forces exerted on the oval window of the inner ear. With a long enough lever, you can lift a big rock with a small applied force on the other end of the lever. The amplification of force can be changed by shifting the pivot point. |  |
 | The ossicles can be thought of as a compound lever which achieves a multiplication of force. This lever action is thought to achieve an amplification by a factor of about three under optimum conditions, but can be adjusted by muscle action to actually attenuate the sound signal for protection against loud sounds. |
A physiology book describes the ossicles as the smallest bones int he body, small enough to fit collectively on a U.S. dime.  |  |
| Index
Hearing concepts |