Explain the function of the cochlea.

The cochlea plays a vital role in the auditory system by transforming sound vibrations into neural signals that the brain can interpret. Located within the inner ear, the cochlea is a spiral-shaped organ filled with fluid and lined with hair cells. When sound waves enter the ear, they cause the fluid within the cochlea to move. This movement of fluid stimulates the hair cells, converting mechanical vibrations into electrical signals. These nerve impulses are then transmitted to the auditory nerve and sent to the brain, where they are processed and perceived as sound.

This function is essential for hearing, as it allows us to perceive a wide range of sounds and comprehend speech and environmental sounds. The precise transduction of sound energy into neural activity is crucial to our auditory experience. Other options, while related to the ear, describe different functions. For instance, amplifying sound waves is primarily the role of the outer and middle ear structures, rather than the cochlea itself. Similarly, filtering sound frequencies is a function more associated with the auditory pathway and central processing, not the cochlea. Balancing and spatial orientation relate to the vestibular system, which is separate from the cochlea's function in hearing.