Nervous System

Question 1

neuron

Answer 1

cell that carries nerve impulses throughout the
body and is composed of a cell body, an axon, and dendrites.

Question 2

dendrite

Answer 2

neuron structure that receives nerve impulses from other neurons and transmits them to the cell body.

Question 3

cell body

Answer 3

neuron structure that contains the nucleus and many organelles.

Question 4

axon

Answer 4

neuron structure that transmits nerve impulses from the cell body to other neurons and muscles.

Question 5

reflex arc

Answer 5

nerve pathway consisting of a sensory neuron, an interneuron, and a motor neuron.

Question 6

action potential

Answer 6

nerve impulse

Question 7

threshold

Answer 7

minimum stimulus needed to produce a
nerve impulse

Question 8

node

Answer 8

gap in the myelin sheath along the length of an axon; nerve impulses move from node to node.

Question 9

synapse

Answer 9

gap between one neuron’s
axon and another nueron’s dendrite.

Question 10

neurotransmitter

Answer 10

chemical that diffuses across a
synapse and binds to receptors on a neighboring neuron’s
dendrite, causing channels to open on the neighboring cell
and the creation of a new action potential.

Question 11

central nervous system

Answer 11

consists of the brain and
spinal cord and coordinates all of the body’s activities.

Question 12

peripheral nervous system

Answer 12

consists of sensory and
motor neurons that transmit information to and from the
central nervous system.

Question 13

cerebrum

Answer 13

largest part of the brain; is divided into two hemispheres and carries out higher thought processes involved with language, learning, memory, and voluntary body movements.

Question 14

medulla oblongata

Answer 14

part of the brain stem that helps
control blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing rate.

Question 15

pons

Answer 15

part of the brain stem that helps control breathing rate.

Question 16

hypothalamus

Answer 16

part of the brain that regulates body temperature, appetite, thirst, and water balance.

Question 17

autonomic nervous system

Answer 17

part of the peripheral
nervous system that transmits impulses from the central
nervous system to internal organs.

Question 18

sympathetic nervous system

Answer 18

branch of the autonomic nervous system that controls organs and is most
active during emergencies or stress.

Question 19

parasympathetic nervous system

Answer 19

branch of the
autonomic nervous system that controls organs and is most
active when the body is at rest.

Question 20

nervous system structures

Answer 20

1. Brain
2. Spinal cord
3. Neurons (nerve cell)-

Question 21

types of neurons and what do they do

Answer 21

a. Sensory neurons- gather info from the environment & send it to the brain/spinal cord
b. Interneurons- interprets the info
c. Motor neurons- responds to the info sent from the interneurons.

Question 22

neuron pathway

Answer 22

sensory neurons –> interneurons –> motor neurons

Question 23

parts of a neuron

Answer 23

dendrite, cell body, axon

Question 24

what is myelin

Answer 24

a fatty coat which
insulates the axon and speeds up the transmission of the
electrical impulses.

Question 25

nervous system functions

Answer 25

1. Electro-chemical communication
2. Controls and coordinates body movements
3. Senses
4. Monitor and maintain other body systems using negative feedback

Question 26

what is somatic nervous system, what are the 2 types

Answer 26

voluntary, sensory and motor. sensory goes to the central nervous system and motor is the response

Question 27

what is autonomic nervous system, what are the 2 types

Answer 27

involuntary, sympathetic (danger, adrenaline) and parasympathetic (resting) responses

Question 28

how do neurons communicate

Answer 28

electrochemical process:

1. Neuron at rest.
2. ‘Electro’ portion is called the action potential.
3. ‘chemical’ portion between neurons is by
   chemicals called neurotransmitters.

Question 29

action potential steps

Answer 29

Step 1: Resting potential (Na+
outside & K+ inside axon) and
then stimulus is received.
Step 2: Sodium gates open and
Na+ enters the axon.
(depolarization) Polarity is
reversed
Step 3: Potassium gates open and K+ leave the axon.
(repolarization)
Step 4: Return to the resting potential because the Na+/K+
Pump removes Na+ from the
axon and recaptures the K+
into the axon.

Question 30

chemical part of neuron communication

Answer 30

An action potential is
‘carried’ across a
synapse by
neurotransmitters