Why can we hear things in different directions?

Question

say you bounce a ball and it falls behined you...how do our ears tell that it is behinde us. or say for instance fireworks...how do we know it is above us...even with uor eyes closed?there is only one eardrum and tunnel per ear so how can we tell?

please answer...im confoosed;:)

Answer 1

Having 2 ears enables our brain to triangulate on the sound to figure out where it is coming from.

Answer 2

Your brain can tell the difference in how long it takes the sound to reach each ear and tell which ear is closer, and the difference in volume in each ear and tell which ear is turned more towards it.

It doesn't work underwater!  Sound travels 4 times faster underwater and the time difference is too small for your brain to figure out.

Answer 3

Because your ears can tell the difference between the speed of sound reaching one ear before the other.  As well as other factors including the shape of the ear.  In the water where the speed of sound is greater your ears cannot tell the difference. You will not be able to tell the direction or distance of a sound in the water because the difference between one ear to the next is too close.