The middle ear is a small, air-filled space located between the outer ear and the inner ear. It contains three tiny bones called the ossicles—the malleus, incus, and stapes—which help transmit sound vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear. The middle ear also includes the Eustachian tube, which connects to the throat and helps equalize pressure. Sound waves enter the outer ear and cause the eardrum to vibrate. These vibrations are then amplified by the ossicles before reaching the cochlea in the inner ear, where they are converted into electrical signals for the brain to interpret as sound.