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How does the eardrum transmit sound vibrations to the middle ear?

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Cross-section diagram of the human ear showing the outer ear, middle ear, and inner ear, with labeled parts including the auricle, auditory canal, tympanic membrane, ossicles, cochlea, semicircular canals, and nerves. — human ear Structure of the human ear.

The tympanic membrane, or eardrum, transmits sound vibrations to the middle ear by acting as the initial receiver of airborne sound waves. As these vibrations strike the membrane, it moves, transferring the energy to the auditory ossicles—a chain of three tiny bones consisting of the malleus, incus, and stapes.12

The handle of the malleus is firmly attached to the tympanic membrane, allowing it to capture these vibrations and pass them through the ossicular chain. This process serves as an impedance-matching mechanism, essential for overcoming the resistance encountered when sound moves from air into the fluid-filled inner ear. The middle ear achieves this by concentrating the energy from the larger surface area of the tympanic membrane onto the much smaller area of the stapes footplate, which fits into the oval window. Additionally, the ossicles function as a lever system, further amplifying the pressure of the vibrations before they reach the inner ear.23