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Air conduction is the primary way sound travels to the inner ear. Sound waves from the environment are collected by the outer ear and directed into the ear canal, causing the tympanic membrane to vibrate. These vibrations are then amplified by the ossicles of the middle ear and transmitted to the cochlea in the inner ear. Within the cochlea, these vibrations are converted into nerve impulses that are sent to the brain for interpretation as sound. This process allows us to perceive loudness and pitch based on the intensity and frequency of sound waves.12

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