What causes the sensory receptors in the ampulla of a semicircular canal to generate electrical signals upon head rotation?
Answer
The relative motion of the endolymph fluid lagging behind the bony canals due to inertia
When the head rotates, the bony canals move immediately, but the viscous endolymph fluid lags slightly behind due to inertia, causing this relative motion to bend the delicate hair cells in the ampulla.
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