Human ear consists of three parts: outer ear, middle ear and inner ear. When
sound waves enter outer ear and travel to eardrum, what happens are:
- Eardrum vibrates and sends vibrations to three bones in middle ear.
- Three bones amplify vibrations
and send them to inner ear.
- Inner ear is shaped like
a snail and is filled with fluid.
- Vibrations cause tiny cells (called hair cells) to move up
and down.
- Hair cell movement converts vibrations to electrical signal.
- Nerves carry electrical signal to brain.
- Brain
translates electrical signal into a “sound” that we recognize.
Finally, we "hear" a sound.