The labyrinth

is amazing.  There is one set of three canals in each inner ear.  They are aligned in different planes of motion so that we can perceive movement in different directions.  They are full of fluid called endolymph and perilymph.  This fluid can change in it's consistency.  Sometimes it may be thick like honey and sometimes it may be "runny" like water. 

When we move our heads, the fluid in the inner ear moves and causes the cupula to deflect like a sail.  The cupula is a thick hair inside the ampulla of the semicircular canals.

Click here to learn the function of the inner ear, to learn how the inner ear works and to view a picture of the inner ear.