Final answer:
The statement in question is false; sound waves travel through the middle ear bones to the oval window, creating waves in the cochlea's fluid which in turn stimulate hair cells on the basilar membrane, transmitting signals to the brain.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement suggests that pressure waves and frequencies associated with sound reception are transferred through the thin vestibular membrane into the cochlear duct and then through the basilar membranes into the lower compartment. However, this is false. In the process of hearing, sound waves travel along the auditory canal and vibrate the tympanic membrane (eardrum). These vibrations are transmitted via the ossicles (malleus, incus, and stapes) to the oval window, which then generates waves in the fluid within the cochlea. Within the cochlea, the fluid motion stimulates hair cells, which are auditory receptors located on the basilar membrane. These hair cells then transmit neural signals through the auditory nerve to the brain. There is no shortcut through the vestibular membrane into the cochlear duct as described in the statement.