The ear consists of three parts: The outer ear (Ear canal and eardrum), the middle ear (Stirrup, Anvil and Hammer), and the inner ear (Semicircular canals and Cochlea)
Sound waves travels through the ear canal and into the eardrum, which is also known as the tympanum. The sound waves cause the tympanum to vibrate and the three small bones of the middle ear, the anvil, hammer and stirrup, transfer the vibrations of the tympanum to the oval window of the Cochlea. By this time the tympanum and middle ear have amplified the vibrations by a factor of 40. The liquid-filled Cochlea transforms the energy of the sound waves into electrical energy and sends these impulses to the brain. The semicircular canals of the inner ear have little or nothing to do with hearing and are used for controlling balance.