State the meaning of inertia and explain how inertia affects the hair cell processes of the inner ear during acceleration and deceleration

Inertia refers to the tendency of matter such as the endolymph fluid in the vestibular apparatus to remain at rest if at rest, or if in motion to keep moving in the same direction. When a person begins to spin, the inertia of the endolymph causes the cupula to bend in the opposite direction. However, as the spin continues the inertia of the endolymph is overcomed and the cupula straightens. The endolymph and the cupula are moving in the same direction and at the same speed such that if deceleration occurs, the greater inertia of the endolymph causes it to continue moving in the original direction of spinand to bend the cupula in the same direction thus causing stimulation of the underlying hair cells.