As soundwaves pass through the air
1- The outer ear collects and funnels sounds to the eardrum.
2- The middle ear converts those sound waves into mechanical energy through the ossicles (middle ear bones) which conduct the sound to the inner ear.
3- The inner ear converts that energy into electrical impulses and transmits those signals to the central auditory system via the auditory nerve.
4- The brain decodes those signals into our perceptions of sound and speech.