Final answer:
The hands are associated with the greatest amount of brain tissue in the sensory cortex, as shown by the sensory homunculus, which displays large areas for parts of the body with many sensory receptors like hands and face.
Step-by-step explanation:
The body part associated with the greatest amount of brain tissue in the sensory cortex is the hands. This is evident when examining the sensory homunculus, which visually represents the areas of the somatosensory cortex dedicated to various parts of the body. Large regions of the sensory cortex correspond to areas with a high density of sensory receptors; therefore, since hands have many sensory receptors, they are represented by larger areas in the cortex.
Sensory homunculus illustrations show that the hands, face, and tongue have disproportionately large representations due to their significance in manual dexterity, facial expressions, and speech, which are crucial to human communication and interaction.
Areas with fewer sensory receptors like the back or legs occupy smaller regions of the sensory cortex, as described by the principles of cortical organization based on sensory receptors' density.