[A] : Hair cells on the basiiar membrane are responsible for hearing.
[R]: Pressure waves which begin at the oval window, cause the basilar membrane to vibrate so that the cilia of the hair celis touch the tectorial membrane. This causes hair cells to initiate nerve impulses

Options

A. If both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
B. If both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
C. If A is true and R is false
D. If both A and R are false

Answer

**Step-by-Step Solution:**

1. **Understanding the Components of Hearing:**
- The question involves two statements:
- [A]: Hair cells on the basilar membrane are responsible for hearing.
- [R]: Pressure waves that begin at the oval window cause the basilar membrane to vibrate, leading to the cilia of the hair cells touching the tectorial membrane, which initiates nerve impulses.

2. **Identifying the Structures Involved:**
- The hair cells are located on the basilar membrane within the cochlea of the inner ear.
- The oval window is part of the middle ear and serves as the entry point for sound vibrations into the cochlea.
- The tectorial membrane is a structure that interacts with the hair cells during the process of hearing.

3. **Process of Hearing:**
- Sound waves are collected by the external ear and transmitted to the middle ear, where they cause vibrations at the oval window.
- These vibrations create pressure waves in the cochlear fluid, causing the basilar membrane to vibrate.
- The vibration of the basilar membrane causes the cilia of the hair cells to bend against the tectorial membrane.
- This bending of the cilia generates nerve impulses, which are then transmitted to the brain via the auditory nerve.

4. **Evaluating the Truth of Statements:**
- Statement [A] is true because hair cells are indeed responsible for converting sound vibrations into nerve impulses.
- Statement [R] is also true as it accurately describes the process by which sound waves lead to the activation of hair cells.

5. **Determining the Relationship Between Statements:**
- Since both statements are true, we need to check if [R] provides a correct explanation for [A].
- Statement [R] explains how the hair cells on the basilar membrane are activated through the process of sound wave transmission and vibration, thus serving as a correct explanation for [A].

6. **Conclusion:**
- Both statements [A] and [R] are true, and [R] is the correct explanation of [A]. Therefore, the final answer is that both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.

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