Year 9 Science · Unit 4 · Lesson 7

Hearing and Sound Perception

Foundation Worksheet

Name

Date

Class

Learning Goals

Name the main structures of the outer, middle, and inner ear and describe their functions.
Trace the path of sound from the pinna to the auditory nerve in the correct order.
Explain how the cochlea converts vibrations into nerve signals sent to the brain.

Warm Up

Order the steps

Number the events from 1 to 8 to show the correct order that sound travels through the ear. Write 1 next to what happens first.

Order	Event
	Vibrations pass through the oval window into fluid-filled cochlea
	The pinna (outer ear) collects sound waves and directs them inward
	Hair cells on the basilar membrane detect vibrations and generate a nerve signal
	The eardrum (tympanic membrane) vibrates in response to sound
	The auditory nerve carries the electrical signal to the brain
	The three ossicles (malleus, incus, stapes) amplify and transmit vibrations
	Sound waves travel along the ear canal toward the eardrum
	The brain interprets the signal as sound

Your Turn

Match each term to its function

Draw a line connecting each ear structure on the left to its correct function on the right. Or write the matching letter next to each term.

Ear structure	Your answer	Function
Pinna		A. Amplify and transmit vibrations from eardrum to oval window
Eardrum (tympanic membrane)		B. Carries electrical nerve signals to the brain
Ossicles		C. Collects sound waves and directs them into the ear canal
Oval window		D. Converts vibrations in fluid into electrical nerve signals
Cochlea		E. Vibrates when sound waves push against it
Auditory nerve		F. Transfers vibration from the ossicles into the cochlea fluid

Show What You Know

1. Name the three ossicles (small bones) of the middle ear and explain why they are important for hearing.

Recall 2 marks

2. What is the hearing range for a healthy young human? What happens to this range as a person gets older, and which end of the range is affected first?

Recall 2 marks

Wrap Up

In one sentence, what was the main idea of this lesson?