Final answer:
Hearing is the ability to sense sound waves, and the ear is the organ that senses sound. When a person speaks, sound waves enter the auditory canal, strike the eardrum, and make it vibrate. The vibrations are then converted into nerve impulses that are sent to the brain, allowing the person to hear and understand the speaker.
Step-by-step explanation:
Hearing is the ability to sense sound waves and the ear is the organ that senses sound. When a person speaks, sound waves are created which enter the auditory canal and strike the eardrum, causing it to vibrate. The vibrations then travel through various structures in the ear and reach the cochlea, where tiny hair cells send nerve impulses to the auditory nerve.