Final answer:
The human cochlea contains approximately 3,500 inner hair cells. They are crucial for hearing and are activated by different frequencies within the human hearing range of 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the human cochlea, there are approximately 3,500 inner hair cells. These cells are the primary auditory receptors and are essential for conveying auditory information to the brain.
The inner hair cells are arranged in a single row and play a crucial role in transducing sound waves into nerve signals that our brain can interpret. In addition to the inner hair cells, there are about 12,000 outer hair cells that function primarily to fine-tune the sound waves.
These auditory receptors are arranged on the basilar membrane and connected to the tectorial membrane through their stereocilia. The frequency range that humans can hear extends from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz, and different hair cells are activated depending on the frequency of incoming sounds.