Final answer:
The middle ear, located between the tympanic membrane and the oval window, contains ossicles that amplify sound waves, which are then transmitted to the inner ear's cochlea for hearing.
Step-by-step explanation:
The middle ear is the area between the tympanic membrane (ear drum) and the oval window of the cochlea. This space within the temporal bone contains the three tiny bones called ossicles - the malleus (hammer), incus (anvil), and stapes (stirrup) - that amplify sound waves from the tympanic membrane to the oval window. The oval window is a thin diaphragm that separates the middle ear from the inner ear, precisely where the cochlea begins. When the stapes vibrates against the oval window, it generates pressure waves in the fluid of the cochlea, facilitating the auditory process.
The cochlea is a fluid-filled, snail-shaped structure that transforms these vibrations into neural signals. Inside the cochlea, such pressure waves travel through the scala vestibuli, vibrate the tectorial membrane, and bend the cilia of the hair cells in the organ of Corti, thus stimulating the auditory nerves that send sound information to the brain.
The process of hearing, or audition, begins with the capturing of sound waves by the outer ear, which includes the pinna, ear canal, and tympanic membrane. These sound waves are then conducted into the middle ear, where they are amplified by the ossicles before being transferred into the inner ear for neural transduction.