Final answer:
The cochlea contains receptors specifically for the sense of hearing, which are mechanoreceptors known as hair cells. These receptors convert sound waves into electrical signals for the brain to interpret, distinguishing it from the vestibular system that deals with balance, and from olfaction and vision that involve other specialized receptors.
Step-by-step explanation:
The cochlea contains receptors for the sense of hearing. Each receptor in the cochlea is a mechanoreceptor known as a hair cell, which is integral to the process of converting mechanical sound waves into electrical signals that the brain can interpret.
The vestibular system, which includes structures such as the utricle, saccule, and semicircular canals, is responsible for equilibrium or balance. While both the auditory and vestibular systems use hair cells as their receptors, it is the cochlea specifically that plays a key role in hearing. The vestibular system detects head position and movement to maintain balance but does not play a direct role in the process of hearing.
Olfaction, the sense of smell, uses olfactory receptors in the nasal mucosa to detect odorants. Vision involves the detection of light by photoreceptors—cones and rods—in the retina of the eye. Therefore, options c (olfaction) and d (vision) are not associated with the cochlea.