1:6:4 Reflex arcs

Question 1

List the roles of the neurones.

Answer 1

Sensory neurone: Carries information from the receptor to the association neurone in the spinal cord.

Association neurone: Joins the sensory and motor neurones, enabling the information to be passed on.

Motor neurone: Carries information from the association neurone to the spinal cord to the effector.

Question 2

Why are reflex actions fast?

Answer 2

The length of the nerve pathway is short. There are relatively few small gaps between the neurones called a synapse. These gaps slow nervous communication, which is why there are only two synapses in the reflex arc.