chapter 11 senses

What are the five senses?

Sight, Smell, Hearing, Taste, Touch

What is the difference between general and special senses?

General senses are widely distributed through the body and detect touch, pain, temperature, etc.; special senses are localized and include smell, taste, vision, hearing, and equilibrium.

What is the function of sensory receptors?

Sensory receptors detect stimuli and convert them into sensations.

What are the two types of sensory receptors based on structure?

Encapsulated and unencapsulated (free).

What is the function of photoreceptors?

They are sensitive to changes in light intensity or color and are responsible for vision.

What role do proprioceptors play in the body?

They provide information about body position and changes in muscle length or tension.

Describe the pathway of a sensory impulse in the body.

Sensory impulses travel from the receptors through the spinal cord, synapse in the thalamus or cerebellum, and are sent to specific areas of the cerebral cortex for interpretation.

What are the three layers of the eye?

Fibrous layer, vascular layer, and inner layer.

What is the vitreous humor?

A jelly-like fluid in the posterior cavity of the eye that helps maintain its shape and refracts light.

What are the primary taste sensations?

Sweet, Sour, Bitter, Salty.

What is the role of chemoreceptors in the sense of smell?

They detect specific chemicals dissolved in the mucous of the nasal cavity.

What distinguishes rods from cones in the retina?

Rods are responsible for monochrome vision in low light, while cones detect color in bright light.

What is the optic nerve's function?

It transmits visual information from the retina to the brain.

What are the major components of the outer ear?

Auricle (pinna) and external acoustic canal.

What condition results from blocked drainage of aqueous humor?

Glaucoma.

What happens during the process of transducing sound waves?

Sound waves vibrate the tympanic membrane, which is then amplified by ossicles and transmitted to the inner ear.

What parts comprise the inner ear?

Semicircular canals, vestibule, and cochlea.

What is the primary function of the cochlea?

To detect sound by hair cell movement and send information through the cochlear nerve.

Which cranial nerves are involved in taste?

Cranial nerves VII (facial) and IX (glossopharyngeal) carry gustatory impulses to the cerebral cortex.

What is the adaptation of olfactory receptors?

The process where initial strong odors are quickly perceived but later become less detectable.

What effect does severe nasal congestion have on taste?

It can block olfactory receptor stimulation, affecting the perception of flavor.

What is the scientific method?

A systematic process for investigating phenomena, acquiring new knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous knowledge.

What is photosynthesis?

The process by which green plants use sunlight to synthesize foods from carbon dioxide and water.

What is the theory of evolution?

A scientific theory that explains how species change over time through natural selection.

What are the three states of matter?

Solid, liquid, and gas.

What is the function of DNA?

DNA carries genetic information used in the growth, development, and reproduction of all living organisms.

What is Newton's first law of motion?

An object at rest stays at rest, and an object in motion stays in motion unless acted upon by an external force.

What is the main organ of the circulatory system?

The heart, which pumps blood through the body.

What are tectonic plates?

Large slabs of the Earth's lithosphere that move and interact, causing earthquakes, volcanic activity, and the formation of mountains.

What is the greenhouse effect?

The trapping of the sun's warmth in the planet's lower atmosphere due to greenhouse gases.

What is the pH scale?

A scale ranging from 0 to 14 that measures how acidic or basic a substance is, with 7 being neutral.