The Ear and Hearing
The ear turns sound waves into nerve signals.
About this topic
Sound waves are collected by the pinna and travel down the ear canal to the eardrum, which vibrates. Three tiny bones (hammer, anvil, stirrup) amplify and pass vibrations to the oval window of the cochlea, a fluid-filled coil. Hair cells there convert vibrations into nerve impulses sent via the auditory nerve.
The semicircular canals and vestibule detect balance. The Eustachian tube equalises pressure. Loud noise damages hair cells permanently, causing hearing loss.
Sound vibrations pass from the eardrum through the three ossicles, which amplify them about 20 times, to the fluid of the cochlea, where hair cells bend and trigger nerve impulses to the brain. Loud noises can damage these hair cells permanently, which is why headphones at high volume are risky. The semicircular canals and other organs of balance detect head movements.
The Eustachian tube connects the middle ear to the throat and equalises pressure, which is why your ears pop on a plane. Ear infections are common in children because the tube is short. Hearing aids amplify sound, and cochlear implants directly stimulate the auditory nerve. Students often believe the ear only deals with hearing; it also manages balance. Pitch depends on which part of the cochlea is stimulated, and loudness on how many cells fire.
Key ideas
- Eardrum vibrates
- Ossicles amplify
- Cochlea detects frequency
Quick check
Use cases: where The Ear and Hearing helps
- Homework: review the key idea behind The Ear and Hearing before you start a problem set.
- Exam revision: use the quick check to test whether you can recall The Ear and Hearing without notes.
- Visual learning: play with the interactive lab to see how The Ear and Hearing changes when you adjust its inputs.
- Teaching a friend: explain The Ear and Hearing in your own words, then compare your version with the key ideas.
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Frequently asked questions
What is The Ear and Hearing?
The ear turns sound waves into nerve signals.
What will I learn in The Ear and Hearing?
Eardrum vibrates. Ossicles amplify. Cochlea detects frequency.
Is The Ear and Hearing part of Biology?
Yes. It is one of 150 Biology topics on LearnViz HighSchoolEdu, with 3 key ideas, a live animation and a quick check.
Does the The Ear and Hearing lab work on a phone or tablet?
Yes. The animation resizes to fit your screen and supports touch, so you can drag, tap and slide with your finger.
How should I study The Ear and Hearing?
Read the summary and key ideas first, play with the interactive lab to see the idea in motion, then answer the quick check. If you get a question wrong, go back to the key idea it tests.
Do I need an account, and is my progress saved?
No account is needed. Marking a topic as learned is saved in your own browser, so it stays on that device and is not sent to a server.