Mod 5/6 Flashcards
what is transduction
the process where a sense organ changes/transforms physical energy into electrical signals that become nerve impulses which are sent to the brain for processing
Example of transduction
When a skunks molecules enter your nose which transforms into impulses that are interpreted by your brain as a bad odor
what is adaptation
refers to the decreasing response of sense organs the more they are exposed to a continuous level of stimulation
example of adaptation
the continuous stimulation of clothes on your skin results in adaptation so you no longer feel them
what are sensations
relatively meaningless bits of information that result when the brain processes electrical signals that come from sense organs
what are perceptions
meaningful sensory experiences that result after the brain combines hundreds of sensations
what bones make up the ossicle
hammer, anvil, and stirrup
what do the ossicles do?
Act as levers that amplify the vibrations, which cause the oval window to vibrate
what makes up the outer ear?
pinna and auditory canal
what is the pinna and what does it do
ear lobe
Picks up sound waves and sends then down the auditory canal
what does the auditory canal do
a long tube that carries sound to the ear drum
what makes up the middle ear
the eardrum, ossicles and oval window
what does the eardrum do
when the sound waves strike the eardrum it vibrates and passes the vibration to the first ossicle
what makes up the inner ear
cochlea and semi circular canals
what is the cochlea
Looks like a snail shell
Contains receptors for hearing and turns vibrations into nerve impulses (transduction) and sends them to the brain for processing
what is the cochlea’s bottom membrane called?
basilar membrane
what are hair cells
auditory receptors that stick up from the bask
what is the visual spectrum
one particular segment of electromagnetic energy that we see
what is the cornea
rounded transparent covering over the front of your eye
what is the function of the cornea
it bends to focus light waves
what is the pupil
round opening at the front of your eye
what does the pupil do
allows light waved to pass into the eye
what is the iris
a circular, pigmented muscle that surrounds the pupil
what does the iris do
controls the amount of light that enters the eye
what is the lens
a transparent oval structure
what does the lens do
bends to focus waves into narrower beam
what is the retina
thin film of light sensitive cells (photoreceptors)
what does the retina do
begins process of transduction by absorbing light waves
what is visual accommodation
process where the lens bends to focus light
what is myopia
eyeball is too long so objects are focused in front of retina (near=clear)
what is hyperopia
eyeball is too short so objects are focused behind the retina (far=clear)
what is the fovea
a photoreceptor located in the center of the retina
