To understand how a piano key makes sound, you need to understand

how sound works!

When the surfaces of two objects scrape together, friction makes the
molecules vibrate, which creates the pressure waves that produce
sound.
*I demonstrate this with a tuning fork and water. There is a video of
me showing this!

Now I can tell you how a piano key makes sound!

The vibrations of the strings are transmitted to the soundboard

through the bridges, and a loud sound resonates as a result of the
soundboard vibrating the air. The entire piano, mostly the
soundboard, vibrates to produce sound. When struck by the hammers,
the piano strings vibrate to produce the piano's sound. Whether the
strings play a high or a low note depends on the length, tension, and
mass of the string. There are actually three strings for most notes on
a piano. The three strings vibrate together to create a rich tone.