Which ossicle bone is attached to the tympanic membrane?

The malleus is the ossicle bone that is directly attached to the tympanic membrane, commonly known as the eardrum. This connection is crucial for the transmission of sound vibrations from the tympanic membrane to the inner ear. When sound waves hit the tympanic membrane, it vibrates, and these vibrations are transmitted to the malleus, which is the first of three tiny bones in the middle ear.

The malleus then articulates with the incus, which connects it to the stapes, the last ossicle that interfaces with the oval window of the cochlea. This chain of ossicles amplifies and conveys the mechanical vibrations caused by sound waves. The malleus, being the first link in this chain and directly connected to the tympanic membrane, plays a critical role in the auditory process by aiding in the effective transfer of sound waves into the fluid-filled structures of the inner ear.

Other choices do not have a direct attachment to the tympanic membrane and instead serve other roles in sound conduction within the middle ear.