Final answer:
The ear transforms sound waves into neural activity through the processes of compression at the eardrum, transmission through the ossicles, and transduction in the cochlea, where hair cells convert mechanical vibrations into electrical signals sent to the brain.
Step-by-step explanation:
The steps that the ear takes to transform sound waves into neural activity involve compression, transmission, and transduction. Firstly, the sound waves enter the outer ear, where they cause the tympanic membrane (eardrum) to vibrate. This vibration constitutes the compression phase. These vibrations transfer to the ossicles of the middle ear, which amplify the sound in a process known as transmission. The ossicles include the malleus (hammer), incus (anvil), and stapes (stirrup). The stapes connect to the oval window, which then transmits the vibrations to the fluid-filled cochlea in the inner ear. Lastly, the inner ear performs transduction, where the cochlear fluid movement stimulates the hair cells (stereocilia) on the basilar membrane. Different frequencies stimulate different regions along this membrane. When the hair cells move, they create electrical signals that are sent via the auditory nerve to the brain, which interprets these signals as sound.