Final answer:
The outer ear consists of the auricle or pinna, ear canal, and tympanic membrane, and its main function is to capture and direct sound waves towards the eardrum.
Step-by-step explanation:
Structures and Functions of the Outer Ear
The outer ear is the external part of the ear that collects sound waves and directs them into the ear. It includes the auricle (or pinna), which is the visible part of the ear that captures and focuses sound waves. The ear canal (or auditory canal) further channels these sound waves towards the tympanic membrane (or eardrum), which vibrates in response to the sound pressure. The primary function of these structures is to funnel sound into the ear for processing. The outer ear is an integral part of the auditory system that participates in the first step of audition (hearing), which is the transduction of sound waves into a neural signal further processed by the middle and inner ear.