Question

why does place theory fail to give a full account of how our brains are able to sort out wavelengths of different frequencies and intensities?

○ because very low - frequency sounds trigger neurons across a wide area of the basilar membrane
○ because high - frequency sounds activate neurons in different parts of the brain
○ because there is no clear evidence of sound frequency specialization in the basilar membrane

Explanation:

Place theory posits that different sound frequencies are detected by specific locations on the basilar membrane. However, it fails to fully explain auditory processing because very low-frequency sounds do not activate a narrow, specific region of the basilar membrane—instead, they stimulate neurons across a wide area of this structure, which contradicts the core premise of place theory. The other options are incorrect: high-frequency sounds do follow place theory's localization on the basilar membrane, and there is clear evidence of frequency specialization on the basilar membrane for most sound ranges.

Answer:

because very low-frequency sounds trigger neurons across a wide area of the basilar membrane