This web page is designed as an exploration into the function of the ear. The human ear is a precise mechanical system with three main parts, the outer ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear. The outer and middle ear serve mainly to amplify and focus sound onto the tympanic membrane (the ear drum), and the inner ear converts those mechanical waves into electrical signals that the brain can process and interpret. A typical human can hear frequencies ranging from 20 hz (hertz) to 20,000 hz. The diagram below shows the three main sections of the ear, and some of the smaller structures which comprise each part. To find out more about the function of the specific structures pictured below click on the appropriate label. Be sure to check out our links section for related topics on the human ear.
How are sounds produced by musical instruments to make pleasing sounds? Click Here to find out!