Final answer:
Sound travels through the ear in the following order: from the pinna (or auricle) to the auditory canal, through the tympanic membrane (eardrum), via the ossicles (malleus, incus, and stapes) in the middle ear, into the cochlea in the inner ear, and finally to the brain through the cochlear nerve.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct order of how sound travels through the ear is as follows: First, sound waves are collected by the pinna, or auricle, and directed through the auditory canal toward the tympanic membrane, commonly known as the eardrum. When sound waves hit the eardrum, they cause it to vibrate. These vibrations are then transmitted by the three bones of the middle ear called the ossicles (the malleus, incus, and stapes), through to the oval window which is the boundary of the inner ear.
Next, the vibrations enter the cochlea, a fluid-filled structure in the inner ear where sound waves are transformed into electrical signals by hair cells located in the organ of Corti. These electrical signals are then transmitted to the brain via the cochlear nerve, also known as the auditory nerve. Therefore, the correct order of sound travel through the ear is: Pinna, auditory canal, tympanic membrane, ossicles, cochlea, and then cochlear nerve.