The |ear| is divided into three parts: the outer |ear|, the middle |ear|, and the inner |ear|. Each section performs its own separate function in a process that converts sound waves into ~nerve~ impulses, which are then transmitted to the |brain|. The outer |ear| has two parts; the pinna and the |external auditory canal|. The outer |ear| collects and channels sound. The middle |ear| , or |tympanic cavity|, is a tiny cavity hollowed out of the |temporal bone|. It is an intermediary in the processing of sound energy. It is responsible for increasing the intensity of incoming sound waves and transforming them into mechanical vibrations that can easily travel through the inner |ear|. The inner |ear| has two parts. One is made of bone, the other of a membrane that lies inside the bone. Both have complicated shapes, and for this reason they are called labyrinths. Each labyrinth has three parts: vestibule, |semicircular canals|, and |cochlea|. The inner |ear| contains the receptor cells, which receive the mechanical vibrations and transmit them to the |brain|.
