Final answer:
A sensory cell that transduces sound into a change in membrane potential is an auditory cell, and a cell that transduces head movements into a change in membrane potential is a vestibular cell. Both types of cells use hair-like stereocilia to convert mechanical stimuli into electrical signals for the nervous system.
Step-by-step explanation:
The sensory cell that transduces sound into a change in membrane potential is known as an auditory cell, while the cell that transduces head movements into a change in membrane potential is known as a vestibular cell. The process of sensory transduction involves the conversion of a sensory stimulus into electrical energy in the nervous system. This conversion is crucial for our sensation of balance and hearing. In the auditory system, hair cells in the organ of Corti, endowed with hair-like projections called stereocilia, detect sound waves and transduce these mechanical stimuli into electrical signals that are then transmitted to the cochlear nerve. Similarly, hair cells within the vestibule of the inner ear are responsible for encoding information about equilibrium through their interaction with stereocilia, responding to changes in head position and movement, with these signals being relayed to the brain stem and cerebellum.