How the Human Ear Works
The human ear is a wonderful tool that allows us to hear! The human hear has three main parts: the outer, middle, and inner ear.
The outer ear consists of the pinna (the part which we see) as well as the ear canal. This part works by taking in outer sounds and brings them into the inner ear. Our pinna can determine how you receive the frequency from sound based on its positioning. The pinna faces forward and its positioning allows it to determine where the sounds came from. This also effects the volume at which the sound occurs. Ear canals "back fire", making the sound stronger or weaker. Sound then travels through the ear canal to the eardrum.
The middle ear starts with the eardrum. Eardrums help keep the inner hear safe from loud and low pitch sounds. By the eardrums ability to protect us from loud and low pitch sounds, it allows you focus on the higher pitches. The middle ear, also have ossicles, which are tiny bones called the malleus, incus, and stapes. Other names for them are the hammer, the anvil, and the stirrup. It is the ossicles that help direct sounds toward the inner ear. They turn the sound into a way that your brain can understand it.
The third part of the ear is inner ear called the cochlea. The cochlea consists of two tubes, the scala vestibuli and the scala media. While the other parts of the ear allow sound to travel using air, the cochlea uses fluid to transport and distinguish sound.
While the ear has three different parts, they must all work together to allow us to hear. Each part has specific and special functions that work together to get the sound waves, frequency, and pitches in to our understanding.
The outer ear consists of the pinna (the part which we see) as well as the ear canal. This part works by taking in outer sounds and brings them into the inner ear. Our pinna can determine how you receive the frequency from sound based on its positioning. The pinna faces forward and its positioning allows it to determine where the sounds came from. This also effects the volume at which the sound occurs. Ear canals "back fire", making the sound stronger or weaker. Sound then travels through the ear canal to the eardrum.
The middle ear starts with the eardrum. Eardrums help keep the inner hear safe from loud and low pitch sounds. By the eardrums ability to protect us from loud and low pitch sounds, it allows you focus on the higher pitches. The middle ear, also have ossicles, which are tiny bones called the malleus, incus, and stapes. Other names for them are the hammer, the anvil, and the stirrup. It is the ossicles that help direct sounds toward the inner ear. They turn the sound into a way that your brain can understand it.
The third part of the ear is inner ear called the cochlea. The cochlea consists of two tubes, the scala vestibuli and the scala media. While the other parts of the ear allow sound to travel using air, the cochlea uses fluid to transport and distinguish sound.
While the ear has three different parts, they must all work together to allow us to hear. Each part has specific and special functions that work together to get the sound waves, frequency, and pitches in to our understanding.