Linear acceleration coding by maculae
The maculae are specialized for sensing linear acceleration, such as when gravity acts on the tilting head, or if the head starts moving in a straight line. The difference in inertia between the hair cell stereocilia and the otolith in which they are embedded leads to a force that causes the stereocilia to bend in the direction of that linear acceleration.
Source
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"OpenStax College, Sensory Perception. December 8, 2013."
http://cnx.org/content/m46577/latest/
OpenStax CNX
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