1. Sound waves are created by vibrating objects (like a drum or someone's voice).

2. These waves enter your outer ear and travel down the ear canal.

3. They hit the eardrum, making it vibrate.

The vibrations move through three tiny bones in the middle ear:

1. Hammer (malleus)

2. Anvil (incus)

Stirrup (stapes )

1. The stirrup sends the vibrations into the cochlea, a fluid-filled spiral in the inner ear.

2. Inside the cochlea, tiny hair cells detect the vibrations and turn them into electrical signals.

3. These signals travel through the auditory nerve to the brain.

4. The brain processes them so you can recognize the sound (a voice, a song, a car, etc.).

• What is it?

The Eustachian tube connects the middle ear to the back of your throat (nasopharynx).

Why is it important?

It balances air pressure on both sides of your eardrum.

When pressure is unequal (like during a flight), your eardrum can’t vibrate properly — which affects hearing clarity.

Swallowing or yawning opens the Eustachian tube, helping equalize pressure.

So while it's not directly involved in detecting sound, it's essential for making sure your ear can function properly to hear!