how do external ears help us
Answers
The outer ear directs sound waves from the external environment to the tympanic membrane. The auricle, the visible portion of the outer ear, collects sound waves and, with the concha, the cavity at the entrance to the external auditory canal, helps to funnel sound into the canal. Because of its small size and virtual immobility, the auricle in humans is less useful in sound gathering and direction finding than it is in many animals. The canal helps to enhance the amount of sound that reaches the tympanic membrane. This resonance enhancement works only for sounds of relatively short wavelength—those in the frequency range between 2,000 and 7,000 hertz—which helps to determine the frequencies to which the ear is most sensitive, those important for distinguishing the sounds of consonants.
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The outer ear, external ear, or auris externa is the external portion of the ear, which consists of the auricle (also pinna) and the ear canal. It gathers sound energy and focuses it on the eardrum (tympanic membrane).
The outer ear directs sound waves from the external environment to the tympanic membrane.