How do we hear? (2025 Update)
Educational and Fun Activities
Written by Alexandra Stone
03 June 2024
🕓 5 min
How Do We Hear?
Hearing is one of our most essential senses, allowing us to communicate, enjoy music, and stay aware of our surroundings. But how exactly do our ears work to turn sound waves into something our brain can understand? The process of hearing is a complex and fascinating journey that involves different parts of the ear working together.
At The Science of Sound, we love exploring how sound waves travel, how our ears process them, and how we can protect our hearing. Through our STEM workshops, after-school clubs, and holiday camps, children get hands-on experience with the science of hearing in fun and interactive ways.
In this blog, we’ll break down the journey of sound, why hearing is important, and fun activities to explore sound waves at home!
1. The Journey of Sound: From the Air to the Ear
Hearing begins with sound waves, which are vibrations that travel through the air. These waves are created by anything that makes noise, from a bird singing to a person talking or even a car driving by. Once sound waves enter our ears, a chain reaction begins that allows us to interpret sound.
The Step-by-Step Process of Hearing:
✔ Outer Ear – The visible part of the ear funnels sound waves into the ear canal.
✔ Ear Canal – Sound waves travel down the canal until they reach the eardrum.
✔ Eardrum Vibrations – The eardrum vibrates in response to the sound waves, setting the middle ear into motion.
✔ Middle Ear Bones (Ossicles) – The three smallest bones in the body (hammer, anvil, and stirrup) amplify the sound vibrations and send them deeper.
✔ Inner Ear (Cochlea) – The cochlea, a fluid-filled structure, converts vibrations into electrical signals.
✔ Auditory Nerve – These electrical signals travel through the auditory nerve to the brain, where they are processed into recognizable sounds.
Fun Fact:
Your brain processes sound faster than your eyes process images—meaning you often hear things before you see them!
Understanding how sound moves through the ear helps us appreciate the complexity of how we hear and why protecting our hearing is so important.
To learn more about the ear's structure and how it works, check out our detailed post The Anatomy of the Ear.
2. Why is Hearing Important?
Hearing is more than just detecting sound—it plays a crucial role in communication, safety, and daily life. From enjoying music to recognizing danger signals, our ability to hear helps us connect with the world around us.
How Hearing Helps Us:
✔ Communication – Hearing allows us to understand speech, tone, and emotions, making conversations possible.
✔ Awareness of Surroundings – Sounds like sirens, alarms, and approaching vehicles alert us to potential dangers.
✔ Enjoying Music & Entertainment – Whether it’s a favorite song, a movie, or nature’s sounds, hearing enhances our experiences.
✔ Learning & Development – For children, hearing is essential for language development and learning new skills.
✔ Balance & Spatial Awareness – The inner ear also helps with balance, keeping us steady when we walk, run, or jump.
Fun Fact:
Did you know that your ears are always active, even when you sleep? Your brain continues to process sounds, which is why alarms or sudden noises can wake you up!
Hearing is one of our most valuable senses, and taking care of our ears ensures that we can continue to experience the world of sound for a lifetime.
For more fascinating insights into the science of sound, explore our blog The Amazing World of Sound: Discover the Secrets of How We Hear!.
3. Fun Activities to Explore Hearing at Home
Want to explore how sound travels? This classic string telephone experiment is a fun and simple way to demonstrate how vibrations carry sound waves!
Materials Needed:
✔ Two paper cups
✔ A long piece of string (2-3 meters)
✔ A sharp pencil or skewer (to make holes)
Steps:
- Poke a small hole in the bottom of each paper cup.
- Thread the string through both holes and tie a knot at each end to secure it inside the cups.
- Pull the string tight and have two people stand apart.
- One person speaks into one cup, while the other listens at the second cup.
- Observe how the sound travels through the string instead of the air!
Why This Works:
✔ Sound travels through solids! Vibrations from the speaker’s voice move along the string, reaching the listener’s ear.
✔ Tension matters! A tight string transmits sound more clearly, while a loose string muffles vibrations.
Fun Fact:
This experiment is based on the same principle as telephone wires, which once carried voices across long distances before fiber optics and wireless communication!
For more sound-related experiments, check out 5 Child-Friendly Ways to Visualise Sound at Home.
4. Protecting Your Hearing
Hearing is precious, and taking steps to protect your ears can prevent long-term damage. Exposure to loud sounds, infections, and improper ear care can affect how well we hear over time.
Tips for Protecting Your Hearing:
✔ Lower the Volume – Keep headphones and speakers at safe levels (experts recommend staying below 60% volume).
✔ Wear Ear Protection – At concerts, fireworks displays, or noisy environments, use earplugs or noise-canceling headphones.
✔ Avoid Sticking Objects in Your Ears – Cotton swabs and fingers can push earwax deeper, potentially causing blockages or damage.
✔ Give Your Ears a Break – If exposed to loud noise, take quiet breaks to let your ears recover.
✔ Stay Healthy – Ear infections can impact hearing, so keeping ears dry and clean helps prevent issues.
Fun Fact:
The hair cells in the inner ear that detect sound cannot regenerate once damaged—so protecting your hearing is crucial for life!
By taking care of our ears, we ensure that we can continue to enjoy the amazing world of sound for years to come.
For more information on how sound can affect health, read our blog Understanding the Impact of Sound on Human Health.
Final Thoughts
Hearing is a remarkable process that allows us to experience music, communicate with others, and navigate the world safely. From the outer ear collecting sound waves to the brain interpreting electrical signals, every step in hearing is an intricate and vital function.
By understanding how we hear, we can appreciate the complexity of our ears and take the necessary steps to protect them for life. Simple habits like lowering volume levels, avoiding excessive noise exposure, and maintaining ear hygiene can make a huge difference in preserving hearing health.
At The Science of Sound, we bring the wonders of hearing and sound science to life through interactive STEM workshops, after-school clubs, and holiday camps. Our engaging programs help children explore the science behind sound waves, hearing, and acoustics in a fun and educational way.
Want to experience sound science firsthand? Join us today for an exciting journey into the world of hearing!
