Final answer:
The sound waves from music first cause the eardrum to vibrate. These vibrations are then transmitted through the three tiny bones in the middle ear, known as the ossicles, and finally to the cochlea where they are converted into nerve impulses that the brain interprets as sound.
Step-by-step explanation:
When you listen to music, the sound waves cause your eardrum to vibrate first. These vibrations travel through the ear canal, reaching the eardrum, which is a delicate membrane designed to respond to sound. Once the eardrum vibrates, it sets in motion a chain of events inside the ear's complex structure.
The vibration from the eardrum is transmitted to the three tiny bones in the middle ear known as the ossicles. The first of these bones is the hammer (malleus), which then passes the vibrations to the anvil (incus), followed by the stirrup (stapes). These bones amplify the sound and convey the vibrations to the oval window, another delicate membrane, which then transfers the vibrations to the cochlea.
The cochlea, a fluid-filled spiral structure, is where the real magic of hearing happens. The movement of fluid inside the cochlea stimulates tiny hair cells that line this organ. As these hair cells bend, they create electrical signals that are transformed into nerve impulses and sent to the brain through the auditory nerve. The brain then interprets these impulses as the sound we hear, completing the hearing process.