Sound travels through the air as a sound wave. Your ear turns the sound waves into information which your brain hears as sound.
First, the sound waves are collected by the pinna (outer ear) and travel down the canal to the eardrum. The pressure of the sound waves on the eardrum causes the eardrum to vibrate.
There are three ossicles (tiny bones) in the middle space, behind the eardrum. When sounds vibrate the eardrum, the ossicles are set into motion causing the cochlea (fluid in the inner section) to move.
The movement of fluid in the cochlea causes tiny hair cells to bend, sending electrical impulses through the auditory (hearing) nerve up to the brain where these electrical impulses are perceived as sound.
Consists of the visible part, called the pinna, and the canal.
The pinna collects and funnels the sound down the canal to the tympanic membrane (eardrum).
The canal is made up of only a few layers of skin and small hairs.
It has small glands that produce cerumen (wax) to help lubricate and protect the skin in the canal.
Consists of the visible part, called the pinna, and the canal.
The pinna collects and funnels the sound down the canal to the tympanic membrane (eardrum).
The canal is made up of only a few layers of skin and small hairs.
It has small glands that produce cerumen (wax) to help lubricate and protect the skin in the canal.
Consists of the visible part, called the pinna, and the canal.
The pinna collects and funnels the sound down the canal to the tympanic membrane (eardrum).
The canal is made up of only a few layers of skin and small hairs.
It has small glands that produce cerumen (wax) to help lubricate and protect the skin in the canal.