Which structure is filled with fluid and contains auditory nerve endings for hearing and balance?

Which structure is filled with fluid and contains auditory nerve endings for hearing and balance?

• A. cochlea
• B. inner ear
• C. Cataract
• D. conjunctivitis

Answer: (B)

The structure that fits this description is the inner ear. It is a fluid-filled chamber that houses the sensory organs for both hearing and balance. Within it, the cochlea contains hair cells that respond to sound and send signals via the auditory nerve, while the vestibular apparatus (in the same inner-ear region) detects head movement and helps with balance. The fluids, endolymph and perilymph, play a crucial role in transmitting sound vibrations and in the function of these sensory cells. The other options aren’t correct because the cochlea, while part of the inner ear and involved in hearing, doesn’t handle balance by itself; cataracts and conjunctivitis are conditions of the eye, not the ear.