Final answer:
The process is called bone conduction, which involves transmitting sound directly to the cochlea through the skull bones, bypassing the outer and middle ear structures. The answer is option C.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process in question that bypasses the outer and the middle ear and goes directly to the sensorineural mechanism is known as bone conduction. In this process, the sound waves are conveyed directly through the bones of the skull into the inner ear (the cochlea), where they are transduced into electrical nerve impulses by the hair cells. The impulses are then carried to the brain by the auditory nerve, enabling us to perceive sound without utilizing the outer or middle ear structures, which consist of the ear canal, eardrum, and ossicles (malleus, incus, and stapes).
For example, when you place a tuning fork on a bone behind your ear, you can hear the sound even though your external ear is not involved.