Next to the |cochlea| lies an organ important to balance. It contains three semicircular canals set at right angles to one another: one parallel to the ground, a second parallel to the side of the head, and a third parallel to the front of the head or face. The canals are responsible for sensing the movements of the head in three dimensions. The semicircular canals occupy much of the inner |ear|. Each fluid-filled canal contains sensory hairs connected to receptor cells that provide information to the |cerebellum|. As the head is tilted, the fluid presses on the sensory hairs of the receptor cells. The receptor cells convert the pressure into electrical signals which are sent to the |brain| via ~nerve~ impulses. Other receptor cells are situated in and near the semicircular canals. The ~nerve~ impulses are essential to the control of balance.
