Does your ear or the brain do hearing?

Hearing is a complex process that involves both the ear and the brain. The ear collects sound waves and converts them into electrical signals, which are then sent to the brain for processing. The brain interprets these signals and uses them to create a sense of sound.

In more detail, the process of hearing can be broken down into several steps:

1. Sound waves enter the ear. Sound waves are vibrations in the air that travel through the ear canal and strike the eardrum.

2. The eardrum vibrates. The vibrations of the eardrum are transferred to three small bones in the middle ear, called the malleus, incus, and stapes. These bones amplify the vibrations and send them to the inner ear.

3. The vibrations cause the fluid in the inner ear to move. The vibrations of the stapes cause the fluid in the inner ear to move, which stimulates the hair cells in the cochlea.

4. The hair cells convert the vibrations into electrical signals. The hair cells in the cochlea convert the vibrations of the fluid into electrical signals, which are then sent to the brain through the auditory nerve.

5. The brain interprets the electrical signals. The brain interprets the electrical signals from the auditory nerve and uses them to create a sense of sound.

So, while the ear collects sound waves and converts them into electrical signals, it is the brain that ultimately interprets these signals and allows us to hear.