Final answer:
Sound is detected by the brain when auditory stimuli (sound waves) cause the eardrum and inner ear structures to vibrate and convert these vibrations into electrical impulses that are interpreted by the brain.
Step-by-step explanation:
Sound is detected by the brain through a series of processes that begin with auditory stimuli, which are sound waves. These sound waves cause the eardrum to vibrate, and the energy from these vibrations is transferred through the middle ear bones to the cochlea in the inner ear. In the cochlea, the mechanical energy causes the basilar membrane to flex, which then bends the stereocilia on receptor hair cells. This bending activates the receptors, converting the mechanical vibrations into electrical impulses. These impulses are carried to the brain by the auditory nerve, where the brain interprets them as sound.