The auditory nerve is responsible for transmitting sound signals to the brain. It runs from the cochlea, a spiral-shaped structure in the inner ear, to the brain stem, where it connects to the nucleus. The cochlea contains tiny hair cells that line its inside. When sound vibrations reach these hair cells, they transmit signals to the auditory nerve. The auditory nerve carries these electrical signals to the brain, which turns them into sounds that we recognize and understand. In summary, the auditory nerve plays a crucial role in our ability to hear and interpret sounds.