Final answer:
The correct answer to what the patch of epithelium in the roof of the nasal cavity containing receptors for olfaction is known as the olfactory epithelium, corresponding to option (a) Olfactory region.
Step-by-step explanation:
The patch of epithelium in the roof of the nasal cavity containing receptors for olfaction is known as the olfactory epithelium. This specialized tissue contains olfactory receptor neurons which detect chemical stimuli, that is, odor molecules. These molecules, once inhaled, dissolve in the mucus of the nasal cavity and interact with the receptors on the dendrites of the olfactory sensory neurons. The binding of these molecules to the receptors triggers a response that is transmitted to the olfactory bulb, which is the central target of the first cranial nerve located on the ventral surface of the frontal lobe in the cerebrum.
The correct answer to the student's question is option (a) Olfactory region.