You hear with your ears. Sounds enter your ears through the pinna, which is the part of the ear that you can see. The sounds travel along the ear canal to the eardrum. When sounds hit the eardrum they make it vibrate.

Vibrations pass from the eardrum along three tiny ear bones to a snail-shaped tube called the cochlea. The vibrations make the cochlea move. Then hair cells in the cochlea send signals to the brain.

Hearing helps us listen to music, people talking and other sounds. Cells in your ears send a message to your brain to tell you what the sound is.

Your ears can keep you safe. You use them to listen for fire alarms or car horns when crossing the road.