Topic 6A - Stimuli and response ARN * Flashcards
nervous communication responses in plants and animals receptors control of heart rate
why do organisms respond to changes in their external environment?
they increase their chance of survival
e.g. avoiding harmful environments
what is a stimulus?
any change in internal or external environment
what do receptors do?
detect stimuli
they can be cells or proteins on cell surface membranes. there are loads of different types of receptors that detect different stimuli
what are effectors?
cells that bring about a response to a stimulus, to produce an effect.
effectors include muscle cells and cells found in glands
how do receptors interact with effectors?
receptors communicate with effectors via the nervous system or the hormonal system or both
what is the nervous system?
a complex network of cells called neurones
it coordinates responses to different stimuli
what are the 3 main types of neurone?
sensory neurones
motor neurones
relay neurones
what do sensory neurones do?
transmit electrical impulses from receptors to the CNS
what is the CNS?
the central nervous system - the brain and spinal cord
what do motor neurones do?
transmit electrical impulses from the CNS to effectors
what do the relay neurones do?
transmit electrical impulses between sensory neurones and motor neurones
what happens when a signal reaches the end of a neurone?
chemicals called neurotransmitters take the info across to the next neurone, which sends an electrical impulse
what happens at the CNS?
it processes the info and sends impulses along motor neurones to an effector
what is the chain of events in a nervous system?
stimulus receptors detect sensory neurone relay neurone in CNS motor neurone effectors response
electrical impulses are sent between each one
what is the peripheral nervous system?
made up of the neurones that connect the CNS to the rest of the body
made up of somatic and autonomic nervous system
what is the nervous system split into?
the CNS
the peripheral nervous system
what is the somatic nervous system?
it controls conscious activities
what is the autonomic nervous system?
it controls unconscious activities split into sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system
what is the sympathetic nervous system?
it gets the body ready for action
the fight or flight system
what is the parasympathetic nervous system?
it clams the body down
the rest and digest system
what is a reflex?
where the body responds to a simulus without making a conscious decision to respond
why are simple reflexes good?
info travels fast from receptors to effectors. this helps organisms protect the body because they’re rapid
what is a reflex arc?
the pathway of neurone linking receptors to effectors in a reflex
why is a simple reflex arc simple?
it only involves 3 neurones
sensory, relay and motor
what does it mean if a relay neurone is involved in a simple reflex?
its possible to override the reflex
what properties does a reflex arc have?
localised
short-lived
rapid
what does it mean in the nervous system is localised?
when an electrical impulse reaches the end of a neurone, neurotransmitters are secreted directly onto target cells
what does it mean the the nervous system is short lived?
neurotransmitters are quickly removed once they’ve done their job
what does it mean in the nervous system is rapid?
electrical impulses are really fast, so the animal can react quickly to stimuli
how do flowering plants increase their chances of survival?
by responding to changes in their environment
how do plants respond to changes in their environment?
they sense the direction of light to grow towards it
sense gravity, so roots and shoots grow in right direction
climbing plants have sense of touch to climb things
what is a tropism?
the response of a plant to a directional stimulus by regulating their growth
what is a positive tropism?
growth towards the stimulus
what is a negative tropism?
growth away from the stimulus
what is phototropism?
the growth of a plant in response to light
shoots are positively phototropic
roots are negatively phototropic
what is gravitropism?
the growth of a plant in response to gravity
shoots are negatively gravitropic
roots are positively gravitropic
how do plants respond to directional stimuli?
using specific growth factors (hormone-like chemicals that speed up or slow down plant growth)
where are growth factors produced?
in the growing regions of the plant and move to where they’re needed in the other parts of he plant
what are auxins?
growth factors that stimulate the growth of shoots by cell elongation
high concentrations inhibit growth in roots
what is cell elongation?
where cell walls become loose and stretchy (plasticity increases), so the cells get longer
what is IAA?
indoleacetic acid
its an important auxin (growth factor) that’s produced in the tips of shoots in plants
how is IAA transported?
by diffusion or active transport
via phloem for long distances
it is moved around the plant to control tropisms
what does IAA do in phototropisms?
it moves to more shaded parts of roots and shoots causing uneven growth
what does IAA do in shoots in phototropism?
IAA conc. increases on shaded side
cells elongate and the shoot bends towards the light
what does IAA do in roots in phototropism?
IAA conc. increases on shaded side
growth is inhibited so the root bends away from the light
what does IAA do in gravitropisms?
IAA moves to the underside of shoots and roots, so there’s uneven growth