Anatomy of Human Hearing
There are 3 sections of the ear responsible for our hearing: the outer ear, middle ear, and inner ear.
The outer ear consists of the ear canal.
The middle ear consists of the tympanic membrane (eardrum) and three bones, called the incus, malleus, and stapes.
The inner ear consists of the vestibular system.
Sound waves enter the ear canal, causing the eardrum to vibrate. The vibrations move the malleus, which then causes the incus to move the stapes in and out of the oval window. That movement causes a pressure that moves the cochlear fluid. The movement of the cochlear fluid causes the hair cells to transmit sensory information up the nerve sending electrical impulses, to the brain. The brain’s interpretation of these impulses is how we perceive sound.
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