Question

Explain the mechanism through which a sound produces a nerve impulse in the inner ear.

Answer 1

Sound travel:

1. Sound waves are collected by the external ear via the pinna.
2. Sound waves enter the external auditory canal and cause the tympanic membrane to vibrate.
3. The sound waves are then vibrated by the eardrum and transported to the middle ear, where the ear ossicles intensify the sound waves.
4. These vibrating sound waves are sent to the fluid in the cochlea via the oval window.
5. As a result, a movement occurs in the lymph.
6. This movement causes vibrations in the basilar membrane, stimulating the auditory hair cells.
7. These cells provide a nerve signal to the auditory cortex of the brain through afferent fibers.
8. The nerve impulse is interpreted by the auditory cortex area, and sound is recognized.