Sound waves are collected by the outer ear and are funnelled through the ear canal to the eardrum.
Sound waves cause the eardrum to vibrate.
The three bones of the middle ear transmit and amplify the vibrations to the oval window of the inner ear. Fluid in the inner ear stimulated nerve endings called hair cells. Electrical impluses are sent from the hair cells along the auditory nerve to the brain. Click the diagram for a closer look. Excessive noise exposure is one of the leading causes of hearing loss.