The Peripheral Nervous System- Topic 3

Question 1

What does the Peripheral Nervous System do?

Answer 1

The peripheral nervous system carries messages to and from the CNS to the rest of the body.

Question 2

The PNS is divided into two different parts.

Answer 2

The Somatic Nervous System → controls voluntary and the The Autonomic Nervous System → controls involuntary.

Question 3

What are nerves?

Answer 3

nerve cell, or also called a neurons.
Scientists believe that the human body has over 7 trillion nerves.

Question 4

What is the structure of a nerve?

Answer 4

Cell Body → houses the nucleus and maintains neuron’s health.
Axon → carries electrical impulse from the cell body to the axon terminals.
Axon Terminal → carries the impulse to the next neuron.

Question 5

What is the structure of a nerve?

Answer 5

Myelin Sheath → a fatty layer covering in the axon terminal to speed up the nerve impulse along the axon.
Dendrites → branch-like structures that receive messages from other neurons.
Nucleus → control center of the neuron (making sure the neuron is doing its job correctly and surviving.

Question 6

How do neurons communicate?

Answer 6

Electrical Signal: A neuron sends an electrical signal called an action potential down its axon.
Arrival at Axon Terminal: The action potential reaches the axon terminal (the end of the neuron).
Release of Neurotransmitters: The signal triggers the release of neurotransmitters (chemical messengers) into the synapse (the gap between neurons).
Binding to Receptors: The neurotransmitters cross the synapse and bind to receptors on the dendrites of the next neuron.
New Electrical Signal: This binding creates a new electrical signal in the next neuron, continuing the communication.