In which part of the ear do sound vibrations first enter?

Sound vibrations first enter through the auditory canal. When sound waves are produced, they are collected by the outer part of the ear, called the pinna, which helps to funnel these vibrations into the auditory canal. The auditory canal is a tubular structure that directs the sound waves toward the eardrum.

Once the vibrations reach the eardrum, they cause it to vibrate, and this action transfers the sound energy to the ossicles, which are tiny bones in the middle ear responsible for amplifying the vibrations before they reach the inner ear. Therefore, the auditory canal is crucial as the pathway through which sound waves first travel into the ear, leading to the further processing of sound.