How we hear the many sounds around us is all about the vibrations.

The outer ear (called the pinna) channels sound waves down the ear canal.

At the end of the ear canal is a 'skin' called the ear drum. Sound makes the ear drum vibrate and these movements are passed to the three smallest bones in our bodies: the hammer, anvil and stirrup.

From here, the vibrations travel to the snail-like cochlea, which turns the sound into signals which travel along a special nerve to the brain.

Sudden loud sounds or constant loud noises damage our ears, so we use materials which muffle the sounds before they enter our ears.

Let's try some questions on this now.