Which ossicle of the middle ear covers the oval window?

The stapes is the ossicle of the middle ear that covers the oval window. It is the smallest bone in the human body and plays a crucial role in the process of hearing. The stapes connects the incus, another ossicle, to the oval window of the cochlea in the inner ear. When sound waves enter the ear, they cause the eardrum to vibrate, and these vibrations are transmitted through the ossicles. The stapes then pushes against the oval window, creating pressure waves in the fluid-filled cochlea, which ultimately leads to the activation of sensory cells that convert the mechanical energy of sound into neural signals for hearing.

The malleus and incus are also part of the chain of ossicles but do not directly cover the oval window. The malleus is the part of the chain that is in contact with the tympanic membrane (eardrum), and the incus lies between the malleus and the stapes. The utricle, on the other hand, is not an ossicle but rather a part of the inner ear involved in balance and spatial orientation. This understanding highlights the specific function and anatomical position of the stapes in relation to sound transmission in the auditory system.