Answer:
The primary function of the middle ear is to offset the decrease in acoustic energy that would occur if the low-impedance ear canal air directly contacted the high-impedance cochlear fluid.
Step-by-step explanation:
When sound waves enter your ear canal, your tympanic membrane (eardrum) vibrates. This vibration passes on to three tiny bones (ossicles) in your middle ear. The middle ear transmits sound waves to the inner ear with the help of three tiny bones called stapes, malleus, and incus. The middle ear includes three small bones — the hammer (malleus), anvil (incus) and stirrup (stapes). The middle ear is separated from your external ear by the eardrum and connected to the back of your nose and throat by a narrow passageway called the eustachian tube. Also known as the tympanic cavity, the middle ear is an air-filled, membrane-lined space located between the ear canal and the Eustachian tube, cochlea, and auditory nerve. The eardrum separates this space from the ear canal.