The Senses

Question 1

What is the formal sense of the system of smell?

Answer 1

the olfactory system

Question 2

What is the formal sense of the system of taste?

Answer 2

the gustatory system

Question 3

What is the “language” of the nervous system that all stimuli must be converted into?

Answer 3

action potentials

Question 4

Where are most of the chemoreceptors (“smell receptors”) of the olfactory system located?

Answer 4

The roof of the nasal cavity

Question 5

What state of matter must particles be in order to be sensed by the olfactory system?

Answer 5

must be gaseous; in gas form

Question 6

How many odors is the olfactory system capable of registering?

Answer 6

over 1 trillion

Question 7

What is the gustatory system capable of sensing (types of taste)?

Answer 7

sweet, bitter, sour, salty, umami (savory)

Question 8

How do the olfactory and gustatory systems work together?

Answer 8

the olfactory system helps the gustatory system identify “flavor” by matching an odor with a taste category

Question 9

What structure on the tongue contains the taste buds?

Answer 9

the papillae (bumps)

Question 10

What are the three shapes of the taste buds?

Answer 10

circumvaliate, foliate, fusiform

Question 11

What layer of the skin contains the nerves responsible for the sense of touch?

Answer 11

The dermis

Question 12

What type of specialized receptor registers the stimulus of pressure?

Answer 12

mechanoreceptor

Question 13

What type of specialized receptor registers the stimulus of pain?

Answer 13

nocioreceptor

Question 14

What type of specialized receptor registers the stimulus of light?

Answer 14

photoreceptor

Question 15

What type of specialized receptor registers the stimulus of different molecules, like in smell/taste?

Answer 15

chemoreceptor

Question 16

What specific photoreceptors in the ocular system register color?

Answer 16

cones (c for “cone/color”)

Question 17

What do the rods in the eye do?

Answer 17

they register low-light stimuli that indicate grey shades and general shapes (but not detail or color)

Question 18

Where can you find 80% of all sensory neurons in the human body?

Answer 18

the ocular system

Question 19

What is the “focusing” apparatus of the eye called?

Answer 19

the pupil

Question 20

What structure of the eye do the ciliary muscles manipulate?

Answer 20

the lens

Question 21

What part of the eye changes the dilation (how open) the pupil is?

Answer 21

the iris

Question 22

Where are the rods and cones located within the eye?

Answer 22

the retina

Question 23

What is the optic nerve made of?

Answer 23

the axons of the neurons connected to the rods and cones

Question 24

What is the auricle or pinna?

Answer 24

it’s the fleshy structure of the ear that you can grab. it funnels sound into the ear canal

Question 25

What is the other common name for the tympanic membrane?

Answer 25

eardrum

Question 26

What does the tympanic cavity do?

Answer 26

it amplifies sound waves so they can push through fluid enough to move the bones of the ear

Question 27

Where can you find the basilar membrane?

Answer 27

In the cochlea, which is in the inner ear

Question 28

The basilar membrane has hair-like cells which respond to vibrations and open ___________ channels, which begin the process of sending action potentials

Answer 28

sodium

Question 29

The three membranes that respond to the motion of your head and provide your sense of position are found in the __________________

Answer 29

vestibular apparatus

Question 30

What causes motion sickness?

Answer 30

Conflicting sensory input

Question 31

What causes dizziness?

Answer 31

The fluid in the vestibular membrane is still moving even though you’ve stopped.