Final answer:
The term for any audible vibration of molecules is 'sound.' Unlike taste (gustation) and smell (olfaction), which are chemical senses, hearing involves mechanoreceptors in the inner ear that detect sound vibrations.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term that refers to any audible vibration of molecules is sound. Sound is the sensation resulting from the stimulation of the auditory system by sound waves, which are vibrations that travel through the air or another medium and can be heard when they reach a person's or animal's ear.
Taste (gustation) and smell (olfaction) are chemical senses involving receptors in the tongue and nose that bind directly with molecules. Hearing, on the other hand, employs mechanoreceptors in the form of hair cells within the inner ear that transduce stimuli for the senses of hearing and balance. While taste and smell help in identifying chemical compounds in the environment, it is the mechanism of hearing that interprets the audible vibrations of molecules as sound.