Final answer:
The rate of oscillation of the basilar membrane in the cochlea corresponds to the frequency of sound, with hair cells at different locations responding to specific frequencies, leading to perception of sound pitch.
Step-by-step explanation:
The rate of oscillation of the basilar membrane corresponds to the frequency at which the auditory nerve fires. This is due to the organization of the cochlea, where different frequencies of sound waves activate different hair cells along the basilar membrane. Specifically, hair cells near the base of the basilar membrane respond best to high-frequency sounds, while those near the apex respond to low-frequency sounds. The intensity or loudness of a sound is described by its amplitude or the height of a sound wave, and this is perceived as the volume by the human ear.
When a sound wave enters the cochlea, it causes a specific region of the basilar membrane to move, depending on the sound's frequency. The tectorial membrane only moves where the basilar membrane moves, thus hair cells only respond to their specific frequency. This allows the cochlea to separate sounds of different frequencies much like a prism separates light into its colors. The human ear can detect frequencies ranging between 20 Hz and 20,000 Hz.