Final answer:
Pitch is determined by the specific place where the basilar membrane vibrates the most, with high frequencies causing more vibration at the base and low frequencies at the tip.
Step-by-step explanation:
The basis of the place theory of pitch perception is that pitch is determined by the place that vibrates the most along the basilar membrane. The basilar membrane is tuned such that high-frequency sounds cause the base, near the oval window, to vibrate more, while low-frequency sounds cause the apex or tip of the membrane to vibrate more. Hair cells, which are located atop the basilar membrane, are tuned to specific frequencies and their location determines the pitch we perceive.
Hair cells respond most sensitively to the frequencies they are tuned for, but require greater intensity to respond to other frequencies. This pattern is reflected in our remarkable ability to distinguish slight differences in pitch, much like how adjacent strings on a piano are tuned to produce different notes.