Pack 18 Flashcards
What is a stimulus?
A detectable change in the internal or external environment of an organism that leads to a response.
What does the ability to respond to a stimulus increase for an organism?
The chance of survival
What is a receptor?
Detector of a stimulus - specific to one stimulus.
What does a coordinator do? At what levels may the coordination be?
- Formulates a suitable response to a stimulus.
* E.g. molecular to brain
What is an effector?
An effector produces a response to a stimulus. E.g. muscle or gland
What are the two means of communication in organisms?
- hormones
* nervous system
What is a taxis?
• A simple response whose direction is determined by the direction of the stimulus.
What are negative and positive taxes?
- Positive - an organism moves towards a favorable condition/stimulus.
- Negative - an organism moves away from an unfavourable condition/stimulus.
Give three specific examples of taxes. Their name, advantage and the specific organism.
- Single celled algae move towards light increasing their chance of survival being photosynthetic - positive phototaxis.
- Earthworms move away from light - takes them into the soil where the can conserve water/find food - negative phototaxis.
- Some bacteria move towards a region of high glucose conc. - food source - positive chemotaxis.
What is a kinesis?
A response in which the organism does not move towards or away from the stimulus. Instead, it changes the speed at which it moves and/or the rate at which it changes direction.
Describe how hydrokenesis in woodlice increases their chances of survival. (Turning and movement) (6)
- Woodlice lose water in dry conditions.
- When they leave a damp area they move rapidly and change direction more often.
- Increases the chance of returning to the damp area.
- Once back in the damp area they slow down and change direction less often.
- Therefore more likely to remain in the damp area.
- If they are still in a dry area for a long time they move in a straight line rapidly to find a new damp area.
- Therefore more time in damp conditions so increased chance of survival.
What is a tropism?
The growth of a plant towards a directional stimulus. Positive (towards) or negative (away).
Give three stimuli plants respond to.
- Light
- Gravity
- Water
What is the name for the types of molecules that control the response of plants to stimuli?
Plant growth factors.
Why is ‘plant growth factors’ better than ‘plant hormones’? (2)
- They exert their influence by affecting growth and, they may be made by cells located throughout the plant rather than in particular organs.
- Unlike animal hormones, some plant growth factors affect the tissue from which they are released.
Give an example of a plant growth factor and one thing it controls.
- IAA
* Cell elongation
Describe the response of SHOOTS to light in 6 steps.
- Cells in the tip of the shoot produce IAA which is transported down the shoot.
- IAA transported evenly throughout all regions at first.
- Light causes movement of IAA from the light to the shaded side of the shoot.
- Greater conc. of IAA on the shaded side.
- IAA causes elongation of shoot cells - so the cells on the shaded side elongate more.
- The shaded side cells elongate faster than the light sude so the shoot tip bends towards the light.
Where is IAA produced?
In the tips of shoots and roots.
How does IAA affect root cells and shoot cells.
- In roots - high concentrations inhibit cell elongation.
* In shoots - high concentrations cause cell elongation.
Where is elongation greatest in root cells?
on the light side
How can you describe the response to light of roots and shoots.
- Roots - negatively phototropic
* Shoots - Positively phototropic
How can you describe the response to gravity of roots and shoots (specific words) . Why? (for roots)
- Roots - Positively geotropic - need to grow into the soil for support and to absorb mineral ions and water
- Shoots - negatively geotropic
Describe the response of ROOTS to gravity in 5 steps.
- Cells in the tips root produce IAA which is transported along the root initially to all sides.
- Gravity influences the movement of IAA to the lower side of the root.
- Greater concentration of IAA on the lower side inhibits cell elongation.
- Cell on lower side elongate less.
- Therefore the root bends downwards.
In shoots describe the response to gravity. (3)
- More IAA on lower side.
- Increases cell elongation.
- Grows upwards.
Why does IAA only affect young cell walls.
Older cell walls have greater rigidity as they mature.
What is the name of the hypothesis that explains how IAA increases plasticity of cells.
Acid growth hypothesis.
Describe briefly the acid growth hypothesis.
Active transport of H+ ions from the cytoplasm to spaces in the cells walls causing them to become more plastic.
What is the simplest tupe of nervous response in mammals?
A reflect arc.
What are the two major divisions of the nervous system? What is each comprised of?
- Central nervous system (CNS) - the brain and spinal cord.
* Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) - pairs of nerves that originate from either the brain or the spinal cord.
What two types of neurones compose the PNS? What does each do?
- Sensory neurones - carry action potentials from receptors towards the CNS.
- Motor neurones - carry action potentials from the CNS to effectors.
Into what two subdivision can the motor nervous system be divided? What deco each control?
- Voluntary nerveus system - body muscles (under conscious control).
- Autonomic nervous system - carries nerve impulses to glands, smooth muscle, and cardiac muscle. (subconscious)
What is the spinal cord?
A column of nervous tissue the runs along the back and lies inside the vertebral column for protection.
How many neurones does a reflex are involve?
3
What are the main stages of a spinal reflex arc? With the example of withdrawing hand from heat.
- The stimulus - heat
- Receptor - temp. receptors on skin generates action potential in sensory neurone.
- Sensory neurone. - to spinal cord
- Coordinator - intermediate neurone.
- Motor neurone - action potential to the arm
- Effector - muscle in the arm stimulated to contract.
- Response - pulling away the hand.