3050 – 03 – Noise and Ear Anatomy

1m

Ears have evolved into effective sound-capturing organs. They capture and relay sounds from the environment to the brain. There are three main parts of the ear:
• The outer ear, which funnels sound waves to the environments towards the eardrum
• The middle air, which is filled with air, transforms sound waves from the ear canal into vibrations in the eardrum
• The inner ear, which is filled with fluid, converts vibrations on the ear drum to nerve impulses. Those nerve impulses then head towards the brain, which interprets them as sound.
The inner ear is most responsible for hearing because it contains most of the structures required to vibrate. However, since the inner ear is so sensitive, it is the most in danger of being damaged due to loud noises. Damage to cilia, tiny hairs that relay vibrations around the inner ear, is how a lot of hearing loss happens. Loud noises can reduce the cilia’s flexibility, permanently harming their ability to relay the vibrations.