Question map
The part of the human ear that converts the pressure variations associated with audible sound waves to electrical signals is
Explanation
The human ear processes sound through a series of mechanical and electrical transformations. Sound waves enter the ear canal and cause the eardrum (tympanic membrane) to vibrate. These vibrations are amplified by the middle ear ossicles and transmitted to the cochlea, a fluid-filled snail-like structure in the inner ear. The cochlea acts as the primary organ of hearing where complex airborne vibrations and pressure variations are transformed into auditory neural impulses [2]. Inside the cochlea, the organ of Corti contains specialized hair cells that bend in response to fluid movement, triggering a mechanoelectrical transduction process [2]. This process converts the mechanical pressure waves into electrical signals (nerve impulses). These electrical signals are then carried by the auditory nerve (vestibulocochlear nerve) to the brain's auditory cortex for interpretation [2].
Sources
- [2] https://medlineplus.gov/ency/anatomyvideos/000063.htm