Sound Picked Up

Once a sound has been produced and transmitted, it is received by the ear and, of course, by microphones. In the ear, the arriving pressure changes “push” and “pull” on the eardrum. The resulting motion of the eardrum is converted (by the inner ear) to nerve signals that are ultimately perceived as “sound”. In a microphone, the pressure changes act on a diaphragm. The resulting diaphragm motion is converted (by one of several mechanisms) into electrical signals which are sent to the sound system. For both “receivers”, the sound picked up is a combination of all pressure changes occurring just at the surface of the eardrum or diaphragm.