The pinna, acts as a funnel channelling sound waves into the auditory canal, this concentrates the energy into a much smaller area, which increases its intensity.
These waves contain different variations in air pressure which causes the tympanic membrane to vibrate.
The tympanic membrane then pass' the vibrations onto the malleus, which is one of the three bones that makes up the ossicles within the middle ear. the vibration is then passed onto the incus, and the stapes(the other two bones of the ossicles) which is connected to the oval window.
The ossicles have 2 additional purposes as well as transmitting vibrations, it also amplifys the sound signal, and reduces the energy reflected back from the inner ear.
The oval window has a much smaller area than the tympanic membrane, combined with the increase force causes by the ossicles, the pressure variations in the sound wave is much greater. The oval window then transmits vibrations to the fluid in the middle ear.
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