The Hearing Process

The eardrum, also known as the tympanic membrane, is a thin, cone-shaped membrane that separates the outer ear from the middle ear. Its main function is to vibrate in response to sound waves, which helps to transmit sound from the outer ear to the middle ear.

The cochlea is a spiral-shaped, fluid-filled structure in the inner ear. It plays a crucial role in the process of hearing by converting sound vibrations into electrical signals. These signals are then transmitted to the brain through the auditory nerve, allowing us to perceive and interpret sound.

When sound waves enter the ear canal, they cause the eardrum to vibrate. These vibrations are then transmitted through the middle ear bones (ossicles) to the cochlea in the inner ear. The cochlea converts these vibrations into electrical signals that are sent to the brain via the auditory nerve, allowing us to perceive sound.

Sound waves enter the ear canal and cause the eardrum to vibrate. These vibrations are then transmitted through the middle ear bones to the fluid-filled cochlea in the inner ear.

Hair cells in the cochlea convert the mechanical vibrations of sound into electrical signals that can be interpreted by the brain as sound.

The auditory nerve carries the electrical signals generated by the hair cells to the brain, where they are processed and interpreted as sound.