In the ear, the sound waves enter through the auditory canal and hit the eardrum (tympanic membrane). The eardrum amplifies the sound and the waves move on to the middle ear, where three bones called the ossicles (malleus, incus, and stapes) amplify the sound further and vibrate. Then, the sound waves go to the cochlea where tiny hairs and other receptors turn the sound waves into a nerve impulse. This impulse is sent to the brain via the auditory nerve and interpreted by the brain.
