Final answer:
Hearing is the passive physiological process by which sound waves are gathered and converted into electrical nerve impulses by the hair cells in the cochlea, then transmitted to the brain where they are processed, allowing sound perception and localization.
Step-by-step explanation:
Hearing is a passive physiological process of gathering sound waves and transmitting them to the brain for analysis. This process begins when sound waves enter the auditory canal, striking the eardrum and creating vibrations. These vibrations move through the bones of the middle ear and eventually reach the cochlea in the inner ear. The cochlea, a fluid-filled coiled tube, contains hair cells that move in response to these vibrations and undergo a process of sensory transduction, converting mechanical energy into electrical nerve impulses.
Once converted, these electrical nerve impulses travel along the auditory nerve to various brain regions including the inferior colliculus, the medial geniculate nucleus of the thalamus, and finally the auditory cortex. Here, the brain interprets these signals, allowing us to perceive and recognize different sounds. It's worth noting that this auditory system allows not only the perception of sound but also its localization, determining where the sound is coming from. This elaborate mechanism is critical for functions such as communication through spoken language, enjoying music, and recognizing the sounds of the environment around us.