How does the normal ear funciton?
The ear is divided into three parts: the external ear, the middle ear and the inner ear. The external ear collects sound, the middle ear mechanism transforms the sound and the inner ear receives and transmits the sound. Sound vibrations enter the ear canal and cause the ear drum membrane to vibrate. Movements of the membrane are transmitted across the middle ear to the inner ear fluids by three small ear bones.These middle ear bones (hammer or malleus, anvil or incus and stirrup or stapes) act as a transformer, changing sound vibrations in air into fluid waves in the inner ear. The fluid waves stimulate delicate nerve endings in the hearing canals. Electrical impulses are transmitted on the nerve to the brain where they are interpr-eted as understandable sound.
