It separates the outer ear from the middle ear. When sound waves reach the tympanic membrane they cause it to vibrate. The vibrations are then transferred to the tiny bones in the middle ear. The middle ear bones then transfer the vibrating signals to the inner ear.

What does the tympanic membrane push against?

The tympanic membrane is the last structure of the outer ear. ... The stapes then pushes against the oval window of the cochlea, and sound moves into the inner ear. In this activity, you can observe the motion of the ossicles in response to sounds of different frequencies and amplitudes.

What is the job of the middle ear?

The middle ear is an air-filled cavity that turns sound waves into vibrations and delivers them to the inner ear. The middle ear is separated from the outer ear by the eardrum, or tympanic (say: tim-PAN-ik) membrane, a thin piece of tissue stretched tight across the ear canal. Sounds hit the eardrum, making it move.