Physiology of Hearing

The physiology of hearing begins when sound waves enter the ear canal, causing the eardrum to vibrate. These vibrations are transmitted through tiny bones in the middle ear (ossicles) to the cochlea in the inner ear, which converts them into electrical signals. The cochlea's sensory cells (hair cells) detect these signals and send them via nerve fibers to the brain's auditory cortex. The brain then interprets these signals as recognizable sounds, allowing us to hear and understand our environment.