Control and Coordination Practice Flashcards

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the nervous system, endocrine system, and plant movements/hormones from Class X Science.

Coordination

The working together of various organs of an organism to adjust activities of life, ensuring correct movement for specific stimuli and avoiding unnecessary actions.

Stimulus (Stimuli)

Any change in the environment, internal or external, that produces a response in an organism, such as light, sound, smell, touch, or temperature.

Receptors

Cells or groups of cells in sense organs that detect stimuli and convert them into nerve impulses.

Photoreceptors

Receptors located in the eye (retina) that detect light and assist in vision.

Phonoreceptors

Receptors located in the inner ear that detect sound vibrations and assist in hearing.

Thermoreceptors

Receptors located in the skin that detect temperature changes, such as hot or cold.

Olfactory receptors

Receptors located in the nose that detect smells and odours.

Gustatory receptors

Receptors located in the tongue that detect tastes including sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami.

Effectors

Body parts, such as muscles and glands, that respond to impulses from the nervous system and convert them into actions.

Response

The reaction of an organism to a stimulus, such as moving a hand away from a hot object.

Neurons

The basic structural and functional units of the nervous system that transmit information as electrical impulses.

Cell Body (Cyton)

The part of a neuron containing the nucleus and genetic material (DNA) that processes incoming information.

Dendrites

Branch-like extensions from the cell body of a neuron that receive information from receptors or other neurons.

Axon

The longest fibre extending from the cell body that carries electrical impulses to the axon terminal.

Myelin Sheath

A fatty insulating layer around the axon that speeds up the transmission of nerve impulses and prevents loss of impulse.

Axon Terminal

The end part of a neuron's axon where chemicals are released to transmit impulses across a synapse.

Synapse

The gap between the nerve ending of one neuron and the dendrite of the next, where electrical impulses are converted into chemical signals.

Neurotransmitters

Chemical messengers released from axon terminals that cross the synapse to generate a new electrical impulse in the next cell.

Sensory Neurons

Neurons that carry messages from sense organs or receptors to the brain or spinal cord.

Motor Neurons

Neurons that carry messages from the brain or spinal cord to effectors like muscles or glands.

Interneurons (Relay Neurons)

Neurons within the brain and spinal cord that connect sensory and motor neurons.

Voluntary Action

Actions controlled by our own will that involve thinking and the brain, such as walking or writing.

Involuntary Action

Actions not controlled by our own will, involving the brain but no conscious thinking, such as heart pumping or peristalsis.

Reflex Action

A sudden, automatic, and involuntary response to a stimulus that skips conscious thinking and is controlled by the spinal cord.

Reflex Arc

The pathway for a reflex action connecting a receptor, sensory neuron, spinal cord, motor neuron, and effector.

Meninges

Three membranes that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord.

Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF)

Fluid located between the meninges that acts as a shock absorber to protect the brain and spinal cord from injury.

Cerebrum

The part of the forebrain responsible for intelligence, memory, learning, emotions, and voluntary movements.

Thalamus

A relay station in the forebrain that directs sensory signals to the cerebrum.

Hypothalamus

A region of the forebrain that regulates hunger, thirst, sleep, body temperature, and controls the pituitary gland.

Corpus Callosum

A thick band of nerve fibres that connects the left and right hemispheres of the cerebrum to allow communication between them.

Midbrain

The middle part of the brain that regulates reflex movements of the eyes, head, and neck in response to visual and auditory stimuli.

Cerebellum

A part of the hindbrain that controls balance, posture, and the coordination of body movements.

Pons

A part of the hindbrain that relays signals between brain parts and helps control breathing.

Medulla Oblongata

A part of the hindbrain that controls involuntary actions like heartbeat, breathing, blood pressure, and vomiting.

Exocrine Glands

Glands that release secretions like enzymes or sweat through ducts to a specific surface or organ.

Endocrine Glands

Ductless glands that release hormones directly into the blood to act on distant target organs.

Hormones

Chemical messengers secreted by endocrine glands that provide control and coordination in the body.

Pituitary Gland

Located below the brain, it secretes growth hormone and is known as the Master Gland.

Thyroxine

A hormone produced by the thyroid gland (using iodine) that controls the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.

Goitre

A disease characterized by a swollen neck due to an enlarged thyroid gland, usually caused by iodine deficiency.

Parathormone

A hormone secreted by the parathyroid glands that regulates calcium and phosphate levels in the blood.

Insulin

A hormone secreted by the pancreas that lowers blood sugar levels.

Glucagon

A hormone secreted by the pancreas that raises blood sugar levels.

Adrenaline

A hormone produced by the adrenal glands that prepares the body for "fight or flight" responses by increasing heart and breathing rates.

Testosterone

The male sex hormone responsible for the development of male sex organs and secondary sexual characters like a deep voice.

Oestrogen

A female sex hormone that controls the development of female sex organs and secondary sexual characters.

Feedback Mechanism

A regulatory system that controls the timing and amount of hormone release, such as the pancreas adjusting insulin based on blood sugar levels.

Tropic Movement

Growth-dependent, directional plant movements toward or away from a stimulus.

Phototropism

The growth movement of a plant part, typically the stem, in response to light.

Geotropism

The growth movement of a plant part in response to gravity.

Chemotropism

The growth movement of a plant part, such as a pollen tube toward ovules, in response to chemical stimuli.

Hydrotropism

The movement of a plant part in response to water.

Thigmotropism

Directional growth of a plant part, such as tendrils, in response to touch.

Nastic Movement

Growth-independent, non-directional plant movements in response to a stimulus.

Thigmonasty

A non-directional movement in response to touch, such as the droplets or folding of Mimosa pudica leaves.

Auxin

A plant hormone produced at shoot tips that promotes cell elongation and controls phototropism.

Gibberellins

Plant hormones that help in seed germination, promote flowering, and encourage stem elongation.

Cytokinins

Plant hormones that promote cell division and are found in high concentrations in fruits and seeds.

Abscisic Acid (ABA)

A plant stress hormone that inhibits growth, causes wilting of leaves, and induces dormancy in seeds.

Ethylene

A gaseous plant hormone that stimulates fruit ripening and promotes leaf fall.