The document summarizes the mechanism of hearing. It begins with an introduction to the ear and its role in hearing. It then describes the anatomy and physiology of the three main parts of the ear - the outer, middle and inner ear. Sound waves enter the outer ear and cause the eardrum and ossicles of the middle ear to vibrate. These vibrations are amplified and transmitted to the cochlea of the inner ear. Hair cells in the cochlea generate electrical signals that are transmitted via the auditory nerve to the brain, where they are perceived as sound.