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A-level Biology > 6A - Nervous communication > Flashcards

6A - Nervous communication Flashcards

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1
Q

How do animals increase their chances of survival?

A

By responding to changes in their external environment.

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2
Q

As well as responding to changes in their external environment, what do animals also respond to?

A

Changes in their internal environment.

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3
Q

Why do animals respond to changes in their external environment?

A

To increase their chances of survival.

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4
Q

Why do animals respond to changes in their internal environment?

A

To make sure that the conditions are always optimal for their metabolism (all the chemical reactions that go on inside them).

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5
Q

How do plants increase their chances of survival?

A

By responding to changes in their environment.

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6
Q

Why do plants respond to changes in their environment?

A

To increase their chances of survival.

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7
Q

Any change in the internal or external environment is called what?

A

A stimulus.

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8
Q

What is a stimulus?

A

Any change in the internal or external environment.

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9
Q

What do receptors do?

A

Detect stimuli.

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10
Q

What are receptors?

A

Cells or proteins on cell surface membranes.

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11
Q

Do receptors detect any stimuli?

A

There are loads of different types of receptors that detect different stimuli.

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12
Q

What are receptors specific to?

A

One type of stimulus.

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13
Q

What are effectors?

A

Cells that bring about a response to a stimulus, to produce an effect.

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14
Q

What do effectors include?

A

Muscle cells and cells found in glands, e.g. the pancreas.

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15
Q

What do receptors do apart from detecting stimuli?

A

Communicate with effectors via the nervous system or the hormonal system, or sometimes using both.

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16
Q

How do receptors communicate with effectors?

A

Via the nervous system or the hormonal system, or sometimes using both.

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17
Q

What does the nervous system do?

A

Sends information as electrical impulses.

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18
Q

What is the nervous system made up of?

A

A complex network of cells called neurones.

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19
Q

How many main types of neurons are there?

A

3

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20
Q

What are the 3 main types of neurones?

A

Sensory, relay/intermediate, motor neurons.

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21
Q

What is another name for relay neuron?

A

Intermediate neuron

22
Q

What is an intermediate neuron also called?

A

Relay neuron

23
Q

What do sensory neurons do?

A

Transmit electrical impulses from receptors to the central nervous system.

24
Q

What is the CNS made of?

A

Brain and spinal cord.

25
Q

What does the brain and spinal cord make up?

A

CNS.

26
Q

What do motor neurons do?

A

Transmit electrical impulses from the CNS to effectors.

27
Q

What do relay neurons do?

A

Transmit electrical impulses between sensory neurons and motor neurons.

28
Q

What type of neuron transmits electrical impulses from receptors to the central nervous system?

A

Sensory neurones.

29
Q

What type of neuron transmits electrical impulses from the CNS to effectors?

A

Motor neurones.

30
Q

What type of neuron transmits electrical impulses between sensory neurons and motor neurons?

A

Relay/intermediate neurones.

31
Q

What are electrical impulses also called?

A

Nerve impulses or action potentials.

32
Q

Explain how information is sent through the nervous system to produce a response

A
  • A stimulus is detected by receptor cells and an electrical impulse is sent along a sensory neuron.
  • When an electrical impulse reaches the end of a neuron, chemicals called neurotransmitters take the information across to the next neuron, which then sends an electrical impulse.
  • The CNS (the coordinator) processes the information and sends impulses along motor neurones to an effector.
33
Q

Draw a flow diagram to show how information is sent through the nervous system to produce a response

A 
Stimulus
Receptors
CNS (sensory --> relay --> motor)
Effectors
Response
34
Q

Briefly explain the structure of the nervous system

A

CNS = brain and spinal cord

Peripheral NS (CNS + neurons) is split into:

  • Somatic NS (controls conscious activities).
  • Autonomic NS ( controls unconscious activities).

Autonomic NS is split into:

  • Sympathetic NS (fight-or-flight).
  • Parasympathetic (rest and digest).
35
Q

Describe characteristics of reflexes

A

Automatic/rapid
Don’t involve conscious brain areas
Consists of only 3 neurons

36
Q

Explain the transmission of the nerve impulse in a reflex arc

A

Receptor –> sensory neuron –> CNS (Relay neuron) –> motor neuron –> effector.

  1. Receptor
  2. Sensory neuron
  3. Integration centre
  4. Motor neuron
  5. Effector
37
Q

In a nerve cells where is the impulse transmitted to and from?

A

Dendron –> cell body –> axon

38
Q

In which direction does the axon take the nerve impulse?

A

Away from the cell body.

39
Q

What is a reflex?

A

Where the body responds to a stimulus without making a conscious decision to respond.

40
Q

Why does information travel really fast from receptors to effectors in a reflex arc?

A

Because you don’t have to spend time deciding how to respond.

41
Q

Why do simple reflexes help organisms to protect the body?

A

Because they’re rapid.

42
Q

What is the pathway of neurones linking receptors to effectors in a reflex called?

A

A reflex arc.

43
Q

Explain the reflex arc occuring when a hand withdraws in response to heat

A
  • Thermoreceptors in the skin detect the heat stimulus.
  • The sensory neuron carries impulses to the relay neuron.
  • The relay neuron connects to the motor neuron.
  • The motor neuron sends impulses to the effector (your biceps muscle).
  • Your muscle contracts to withdraw your hand and stop it being damaged.
44
Q

What is it possible to do if a relay neuron is involved in the simple reflex arc?

A

It’s possible to override the reflex, e.g. your brain could tell your hand to withstand the heat.

45
Q

Give an example of a stimulus

A

You see a friend waving.

46
Q

Give an example of a receptor

A

Light receptors (photoreceptors)

47
Q

What type of neuron are muscles stimulated by?

A

Motor neurones.

48
Q

Give characteristics of nervous system communication

A

Localised
Short-lived
Rapid

49
Q

Why is nervous system communication localised?

A

When an electrical impulse reaches the end of a neurone, neurotransmitters are secreted directly onto target cells (e.g. muscle cells) - so the nervous response is localised.

50
Q

Why is nervous system communication short-lived?

A

Neurotransmitters are quickly removed once they’ve done their job, so the response is short-lived.

51
Q

Why is nervous system communication rapid?

A

Electrical impulses are really fast, so the response is rapid - this allows animals to react quickly to stimuli.

52
Q

What does the nervous response being rapid allow animals to do?

A

React quickly to stimuli.

A-level Biology (42 decks)

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