Question

Trace the route of sound waves from outer ear to inner ear.

Answer 1

The sound waves which travel from the outside are collected by the ear pinna and passed through the ear (auditory canal). In the middle ear, the sound waves strike the eardrum or the tympanic membrane which causes the three ossicles incus, malleus and stapes to vibrate. The vibration of the ossicles is passed on to the cochlea in the inner ear. The cochlea contains the fluid in the cavity. When the vibrations are received, the fluid in the cochlea move and circulate. The movement of the fluid also causes, movement of the hair-like structures in the cochlea which help in increasing the frequency of vibrations. There are cochlear nerves which carry the frequency of the sound waves to the auditory region in the brain. The sound is detected and analysed and the response is given.