Final answer:
The place theory accounts for our ability to hear sounds between 400 and 4000 Hz, working in conjunction with temporal theory to explain pitch perception. The combination of both theories describes how hair cells in the cochlea fire action potentials in response to different frequencies, influenced by the specific location stimulated within the cochlea for each sound.
Step-by-step explanation:
The place theory appears to account for how we hear sound between 400 and 4000 Hz. This theory, alongside temporal theory, helps to explain our ability to perceive pitch of sound waves. The temporal theory suggests that the frequency of a sound wave is coded by the activity level of sensory neurons, wherein a hair cell within the ear fires action potentials that correlate with the frequency of the sound wave. However, this theory alone cannot account for the entire range of human hearing because there is a limit to how quickly a cell can fire action potentials. The place theory complements this by asserting that different parts of the cochlea are activated by different frequencies of sound, particularly when the frequencies are higher than 4000 Hz. As a result, for frequencies up to about 4000 Hz, the pitch perception is a combination of both the rate of firing action potentials and the specific place along the cochlea where the hair cells respond.
Our hearing operates in a wide range of frequencies, from 20 to 20,000 Hz, being particularly sensitive to sounds within the 2000 to 5000 Hz range. While infrasound (below 20 Hz) and ultrasound (above 20,000 Hz) are not perceived by the human ear, they are detectable by other species. Animals such as bats and dolphins can perceive ultrasonic sounds, and elephants can detect infrasound. In humans, various sounds can impact our hearing, with hearing loss often evidenced by a dip in sensitivity around the 4000 Hz range, as depicted in audiograms during hearing tests .Hearing loss with aging is common, known as presbycusis, and usually impacts higher frequencies more severely.