Topic 6 - The Nervous System Flashcards
what is a stimulus?
a change in internal or external environment
do plants and animals respond to stimuli?
yes, they increases their chances of survival by responding to internal and external stimuli
what do receptors do?
receptors in the sense organs detect external stimuli
what do effectors do?
effectors include muscle cells and cells found in glands, they respond to stimuli
how do receptors and effectors communicate?
they communicate via the nervous system and the hormonal system
what is the nervous system made up of?
all the neurones in your body
what are the three main types of neurones?
sensory, relay and motor
what does the central nervous system (CNS) consist of?
the brain and spinal cord
what happens when receptors detect a stimulus?
they send electrical impulses along sensory neurons to the CNS. the CNS sends electrical impulses along motor neurones to an effector
what is the job of the CNS?
to coordinate the response to stimulus
why does the nervous system bring about rapid responses?
neurones transmit information using high-speed electrical impulses
what is a synapse?
the connection between two neurones
what happens at a synapse?
the nerve signal is transferred by neurotransmitters which diffuse across the gap
