Final answer:
The facial nerve (CN VII), which controls facial muscles and taste in the anterior oral cavity, crosses the internal carotid artery near the ear. It also carries preganglionic parasympathetic fibers and travels through the internal acoustic meatus.
Step-by-step explanation:
The nerve that crosses the internal carotid artery near the ear is the facial nerve (CN VII). This nerve is responsible for controlling the muscles of the face and for functions such as taste and salivation in the anterior oral cavity. The facial nerve travels through the internal acoustic meatus, which is located on the medial wall of the petrous ridge in the posterior cranial fossa, and is responsible for conveying nerve impulses from the hearing and equilibrium organs of the inner ear. Furthermore, the facial nerve contains preganglionic parasympathetic fibers which are important for the autonomic control of various facial glands.
The internal carotid artery is the blood vessel that enters the cranium to supply the brain with fresh, oxygenated blood. It runs nearby several cranial nerves as it courses upward towards the brain, where it is functionally critical for maintaining cerebral perfusion.