Chapter 12.1

Question 1

sensory receptors

Answer 1

modified ends of sensory neurons - convert the energy of stimulus into action potentials
- they are located within specialized sensory organs (eg: eye,ear)
- these organs amplify the energy of the stimulus to ensure a threshold level is reached.

Question 2

brain

Answer 2

interprets the stimulus on the basis of where they originate

Question 3

Sensation

Answer 3

occurs when the neural impulses arrive at the cerebral cortex and not the receptor itself
evidence)
a) block transmitter chemical- sensation stops even though the stimulus is still present
b) Brain mapping - sensation returns in absence of stimuli

Question 4

some types of receptors…

Answer 4

adapt to continuous stimulation (sensory adaptation - brain filters out redundant insignificant info) and some like pain, do not.

example)
- no longer smell a perfume that you initially sprayed
- no longer hear the ticking of clock
- no longer fell clothes on skin

Question 5

Processing sensory info

Answer 5

to process info quickly, brain often splits sensory input to various areas of the brain
- at times the information does not get reintegrated precisely and what we sense is not necessarily what we perceive - like optical illusions

Question 6

Photoreceptors

Answer 6

vision- rods and cones in the eye
stimulus: visible light

Question 7

Chemoreceptors

Answer 7

taste- tastebuds on tongue stimulus: food particles in saliva
smell- olfactory receptors in the nose
stimulus: odour molecules
internal senses- osmoreceptors in hypothalamus
stimulus: low blood volume
receptors in carotid artery and aorta
stimulus: blood pH

Question 8

Mechanoreceptors

Answer 8

touch/pressure/pain