Final answer:
The rate at which sound energy hits your eardrum is approximately 10^-16 W.
Step-by-step explanation:
The rate p at which sound energy hits your eardrum can be calculated using the formula: intensity = power/area.
Given that the area of your eardrum is 55 m*m^2, we can assume that the intensity is as little as a trillionth of a watt per meter squared.
Therefore, the rate at which sound energy hits your eardrum, or the intensity on the eardrum, is approximately 10^-16 W.