How Do We Detect Sound?

We all know that our ears detect the different types of sounds. On account of its structure, the human ear consists of three parts: external, middle and internal. Anything that produces sound first vibrates. These vibrations set up a motion of sound waves in the medium through which the sound reaches our ear. The external ear can receive maximum number of sound waves due to its large surface area. When the sound waves strike the external ear, they are transmitted to the middle part of the ear through a pipe. Because of the collision of these sound waves, the eardrum which is located in the middle part starts vibrating. Hammer, anvil and stirrup are the three small bones which are located just behind the eardrum. These bones also start vibrating as the eardrum vibrates. Then these vibrations transmitted to the cochlea. It is the part of the inner ear and it acts like a spring. It is contained by a fluid. The fluid has nerve endings. The fluid starts vibrating because of the vibrations of cochlea and as such activates the nerve endings. Impulses are produced by the activation of the nerve endings. The auditory nerve takes these impulses to the brain and we hear the sound. Both the weak and intense sound can be detected by our ears. It is necessary to clean the ears to keep them healthy. If the ear is not cleaned, a waxy substance gets deposited on the eardrum. If the wax collects on the eardrum it can lead to deafness. When we get trouble in our ears, we should consult ENT experts.

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