Deck 43: Sensory Systems

Question 1

Considering that all action potentials are essentially the same, how do we differentiate visual from auditory stimuli?

A) The amplitude of each action potential is specific for different stimuli.
B) The length of time each stimulus takes to travel to the brain varies.
C) Receptor potentials are graded.
D) Each type of sensory receptor transmits to a specific area of the brain.
E) The frequency of action potentials is characteristic of the specific neuron.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

The ability of the brain to assign meaning to a stimulus is called:

A) adaptation.
B) integration.
C) sensation.
D) perception.
E) assimilation.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

The membranous labyrinth of the inner ear consists of the:

A) saccule, utricle, and three semicircular canals.
B) vestibular canal and oval window.
C) cochlea, tympanum, and three bones.
D) statoliths and hair cells.
E) endolymph, perilymph, and the organ of Corti.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Which of the following statements about sensory receptors is true?

A) Sensory receptors consist of the endings of efferent neurons.
B) Sensory receptors detect changes in the external or internal environment.
C) Several sensory organs make up a sensory receptor.
D) Sensory receptors produce small amounts of energy on a continual basis.
E) Sensory receptors detect changes in the external but not the internal environment.

Question 5

To prevent a shipwreck, submarines determine where objects are positioned under water using sonar, sound waves. This method of detection is similar to a(n):

A) snake using thermoreceptors to locate its prey.
B) shark using lateral line receptors to locate its prey.
C) frog using mating calls to locate a female.
D) earthworm being able to determine its position underground using a statocyst.
E) bat using echolocation to hunt prey.

Question 6

Figure 43-2 ​

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The structures labeled as 3 in the accompanying figure are the:

A) ampullae.
B) cochleae.
C) utricles.
D) semicircular canals.
E) cochlear nerves.

Question 7

Which group of receptors is most important in helping a diver maintain an upright position while exploring a dark passageway in an underwater shipwreck?

A) Proprioceptors
B) Nociceptors
C) Chemoreceptors
D) Thermoreceptors
E) Electroreceptors

Question 8

Which of the following substances is a nociceptor which activates interneurons that transmit pain message to the opposite side of the spinal cord?

A) "Substance P"
B) Capsaicin
C) Piperine
D) Morphine
E) Glutamate

Question 9

Changes in blood pH are detected by:

A) interoceptors.
B) exteroceptors.
C) mechanoreceptors.
D) proprioceptors.
E) thermoreceptors.

Question 10

As the result of a genetic mutation, certain strains of mice eat so much that their stomachs burst. Which statement provides the most plausible explanation for this?

A) The mice were unable to taste the food, and therefore, they ate more than a normal amount.
B) The mice were given strong antibiotics that interfered with normal intestinal flora.
C) The mechanoreceptors of the mice's stomachs were either absent or not functioning.
D) The mice were born without proprioceptors.
E) The mice's chemoreceptors did not detect the presence of food in their stomachs.

Question 11

Glutamate stimulates interneurons in the spinal cord that transmit pain signals to which of the following areas of the brain?

A) Peripheral
B) Cortical
C) Proximal
D) Medial
E) Inferior

Question 12

By emitting high-pitched sounds, bats can detect distant objects via:

A) olfaction.
B) echolocation.
C) lateral line organs.
D) sensory adaptation.
E) ommatidia.

Question 13

Which animal(s) are likely relying on their electromagnetic receptors?

A) A snake attacking its prey
B) A dog smelling a neighbor grilling a steak
C) A mosquito landing on a human's arm
D) A flatworm sensing a flash of light
E) A flock of birds migrating to the Southern Hemisphere

Question 14

Some species of sharks, rays, and bony fish sense the movement of prey through the use of:

A) electroreceptors.
B) mechanoreceptors.
C) thermoreceptors.
D) interoceptors.
E) nociceptors.

Question 15

After working several hours in a flower shop, you do not detect the smell of the roses. Why is this?

A) Sensory adaptation has occurred.
B) Competing signal transduction pathways have been activated.
C) Sensory perception has been blocked.
D) Sensory summation has occurred.
E) The nasal epithelium has become blocked.

Question 16

Figure 43-2 ​

​
The structures labeled as 2 in the accompanying figure are the:

A) ampullae.
B) cochleae.
C) utricles.
D) semicircular canals.
E) bony labyrinth.

Question 17

Which of the following correctly describes the order of events that occur when you touch a very hot surface?
1) Action potential in sensory neuron
2) Sensory receptor absorbs energy from stimulus
3) Receptor potential produced
4) Stimulus is transduced into electrical energy

A) 1 → 3 → 4 → 2
B) 2 → 1 → 4 → 3
C) 2 → 4 → 3 → 1
D) 4 → 1 → 3 → 2
E) 3 → 1 → 4 → 2

Question 18

Some sensory receptors decrease their frequency of action potentials when exposed to a continued, constant stimulus in a process known as:

A) transduction.
B) sensory adaptation.
C) referred perception.
D) reception.
E) sensory summation.

Question 19

Which of the following is an INCORRECT statement regarding thermoreceptors?

A) Thermoreceptors respond to heat and cold.
B) Blood-sucking arthropods use thermoreception to find endothermic hosts.
C) Pit vipers and some pythons and boas use thermoreceptors to locate prey.
D) In mammals, free nerve endings in the skin and tongue detect temperature changes in the outside environment.
E) In mammals, thermoreceptors in the thyroid gland detect internal changes in temperature.

Question 20

What would happen if you cut the vestibular fibers of the vestibulocochlear nerve?

A) You would not be able to detect sound.
B) You would not be able to detect linear acceleration.
C) You would lose sensory functions in the upper body.
D) You would lose your sense of taste.
E) You would lose your sense of smell.

Question 21

Figure 43-3 ​

​
In the accompanying figure, the vestibular canal is labeled as:

A) 1
B) 2
C) 3
D) 7
E) 8

Question 22

Figure 43-3 ​

​
In the accompanying figure, the structure labeled as 4 is the:

A) basilar membrane.
B) tectorial membrane.
C) organ of Corti.
D) sterociliary membrane.
E) vestibular membrane.

Question 23

Auditory receptors are located in the:

A) cochlea.
B) semicircular canals.
C) utricle.
D) ampullae.
E) otoliths.

Question 24

A person can discriminate loud sound from a soft sound because a loud sound:

A) is sent to a different area of the brain than a soft sound.
B) produces a strong graded potential.
C) stimulates a greater number of hair cells.
D) stimulates the hair cells more intensely.
E) has a different vibration frequency than that of a soft sound.

Question 25

Which touch receptors of the skin are sensitive to deep pressure?

A) Pacinian corpuscles
B) Meissner corpuscles
C) Merkel disks
D) Free nerve endings
E) Ruffini corpuscles

Question 26

Lateral line organs allow:

A) invertebrates to detect gravity.
B) humans to perform skillful acts with their eyes closed.
C) amphibians to detect light.
D) fish to detect vibrations in water.
E) birds to detect sound waves.

Question 27

Which statement concerning gravity detection in humans is true?

A) Statoliths are pulled down by gravity, stimulating hair cells of the statocysts.
B) Otoliths are pulled down by gravity onto stereocilia, stimulating nerve impulses.
C) Gravity moves the cupula, causing hair cells of the lateral line organs to bend.
D) Gravity pulls on the hair cells of the basilar membrane, stimulating nerve impulses.
E) Gravity moves perilymph over the hair cells of the tectorial membrane.

Question 28

Figure 43-1 ​

​
Refer to the accompanying figure with the lateral line organs of fishe s . The structures indicated by label 1 are:

A) hair cells.
B) cupula.
C) stereocilia.
D) sensory neurons.
E) supporting cells.

Question 29

A sudden loud sound such as an explosion is most likely to impair hearing by damaging which of the following?

A) Hair cells in the organ of Corti
B) The vestibular nerve
C) The utricle and saccule
D) The otoliths
E) The endolymph

Question 30

Figure 43-3 ​

​
Which portion of the accompanying figure would be connected to the oval window of the cochlea?

A) 1
B) 2
C) 3
D) 6
E) 8

Question 31

Which of the following overhangs and is in contact with the hair cells of the organ of Corti?

A) Basilar membrane
B) Tympanic membrane
C) Cochlear duct
D) Tectorial membrane
E) Reticular membrane

Question 32

The function of the malleus, incus, and stapes in the middle ear is to:

A) amplify the vibrations of sound waves.
B) cause the organ of Corti to rub against the tectorial membrane.
C) detect movement of the endolymph in the cochlear duct.
D) relieve pressure differences between the middle ear and atmosphere.
E) give support to the membranous labyrinth.

Question 33

Figure 43-3 ​

​
Which of the following is a correct statement regarding the cochlea?

A) The cochlea consists of two canals.
B) Thick membranes separate the canals of the cochlea.
C) The vestibular and tympanic canals are filled with a fluid called endolymph.
D) The cochlear duct is filled with a fluid called perilymph.
E) The cochlear duct contains the auditory organ, the organ of Corti.

Question 34

Figure 43-2 ​

​
The function of the statocyst was demonstrated by replacing the sand grains with filings of which of the following elements?

A) Iron
B) Copper
C) Magnesium
D) Sodium
E) Mercury

Question 35

The brain can infer the pitch of a sound from the:

A) number of hair cells that are stimulated.
B) particular hair cells that are stimulated.
C) intensity with which the hair cells are stimulated.
D) intensity of the action potential produced by the stimulated hair cells.
E) fluid movements of the semicircular canals.

Question 36

An individual born without Pacinian corpuscles will not :

A) sense stretching of the skin.
B) sense heat from a burning match.
C) feel pain.
D) sense surface vibrations easily.
E) sense heavy pressure quickly.

Question 37

When an earthworm is underground, which type of receptors will relay information on directional movement?

A) Lateral line organs
B) Otoliths
C) Cristae
D) Stereocilia
E) Statocysts

Question 38

Figure 43-3 ​

​
In the accompanying figure, the basilar membrane is labeled as:

A) 4
B) 5
C) 6
D) 7
E) 8

Question 39

You observe a group of fish turn almost simultaneously in the same direction. Which receptors are they using?

A) Lateral line organs
B) Otoliths
C) Cristae
D) Stereocilia
E) Statocysts

Question 40

Which three types of proprioceptors are stimulated when you ride a bicycle?

A) Muscle spindles, mechanoreceptors, and thermoreceptors
B) Mechanoreceptors, interoceptors, and lateral line organs
C) Muscle spindles, Golgi tendon organs, and joint receptors
D) Lateral line organs, Golgi tendon organs, and mechanoreceptors
E) Interoceptors, joint receptors, and lateral line organs

Question 41

Which of the following are photopigments in the eyes of cephalopod mollusks, arthropods, and vertebrates?

A) Flavinins
B) Ubiquitins
C) Ocelli
D) Rhodopsins
E) Coumarins

Question 42

Figure 43-4 ​

​
Refer to the accompanying figure. Which label designates a bipolar cell?

A) 2
B) 3
C) 4
D) 5
E) 6

Question 43

For your eye to focus on this sentence, the ciliary muscle would need to:

A) contract for the lens to get rounder.
B) contract for the lens to get flatter.
C) relax for the lens to get rounder.
D) relax for the lens to get flatter.
E) relax to thin out the lens.

Question 44

Figure 43-1 ​

​
Refer to the accompanying figure with the lateral line organs of fishe s . The structures indicated by label 2 are:

A) hair cells.
B) cupula.
C) stereocilia.
D) sensory neurons.
E) supporting cells.

Question 45

Which of the following is characteristic of color vision?

A) It is limited to vertebrates.
B) It depends on blue, green, and red cones in primates.
C) It is the result of different concentrations of the photopigment rhodopsin.
D) It results from special photoreceptors located within the optic nerve.
E) It depends on four types of cones in mammals other than primates.

Question 46

Which of the following is an INCORRECT statement regarding blowflies?

A) Each sensillum contains ten chemoreceptors.
B) Dendrites from each cell extend to an opening at the tip of the sensillum.
C) Axons from each cell transmit signals to the brain.
D) Insects can distinguish among various bitter tastes more precisely than mammals can.
E) Insects are well adapted for discriminating tastes associated with spoiled, bacteria-laden foods or toxins.

Question 47

Which of the following is NOT a way in which the compound eye differs from the vertebrate eye?

A) Perception of form
B) Fundamental ability to adapt to light intensity
C) Movement detection
D) Sensitivity to wavelength of light
E) Surface appearance

Question 48

What type of signal transduction process is first initiated when an odorant binds with a receptor on a cilium of an olfactory receptor?

A) Ionotropic receptors lead to the synthesis of cyclic AMP.
B) G protein receptors lead to the synthesis of cyclic AMP.
C) Ca²⁺ gated chloride channels lead to the synthesis of cyclic AMP.
D) Ionotropic receptors lead to the activation of G proteins.
E) Cyclic AMP gated channels lead to the activation of G proteins.

Question 49

Which receptors are thought to be the most numerous and active in the body?

A) Proprioceptors
B) Nociceptors
C) Chemoreceptors
D) Mechanoreceptors
E) Electroreceptors

Question 50

Figure 43-4 ​

​
The type of cell labeled as 5 in the accompanying figure is a(n):

A) amacrine cell.
B) bipolar cell.
C) ganglion cell.
D) cone.
E) horizontal cell.

Question 51

Two types of eyes that evolved to detect images are the:

A) compound eye of vertebrates and the camera eye of arthropods.
B) compound eye of arthropods and the camera eye of vertebrates.
C) compound eye of vertebrates and the ocelli eye of arthropods.
D) compound eye of arthropods and the ocelli eye of vertebrates.
E) ocelli eye of vertebrates and the camera eye of arthropods.

Question 52

Gina comes home to a sink full of dirty dishes and remarks, "Yuck, what a horrible smell!" She then peels an orange and sighs, "Oh! That smells much better!" What allows Gina to distinguish between the different smells?

A) Na⁺ channels are activated for pleasant smells; Cl⁻ channels for unpleasant smells.
B) The process of sensory adaptation differs from smell to smell.
C) The amplitude of an action potential is higher for pleasant smells.
D) The combination of activated receptors differs from smell to smell.
E) Unpleasant smells activate more receptors than pleasant smells.

Question 53

How does rhodopsin facilitate vision?

A) When light strikes rhodopsin, the bipolar cells become depolarized, causing the release of GABA.
B) When light strikes rhodopsin, the photoreceptor becomes depolarized, causing the release of GABA.
C) When light strikes rhodopsin, the photoreceptor becomes hyperpolarized, causing the release of GABA.
D) When light strikes rhodopsin, the photoreceptor becomes depolarized, causing the release of glutamate.
E) When light strikes rhodopsin, the photoreceptor becomes hyperpolarized, causing the release of glutamate.

Question 54

Chemoreceptors are involved with which two senses?

A) Touch and olfaction
B) Hearing and olfaction
C) Gustation and touch
D) Gustation and vision
E) Gustation and olfaction

Question 55

The light-sensitive film in an old-fashioned camera can be compared to which of the following components of the vertebrate eye?

A) Pupil
B) Retina
C) Sclera
D) Cornea
E) Lens

Question 56

Why are eyespots ineffective at detecting images?

A) Eyespots cannot detect the direction of a light source.
B) Eyespots cannot distinguish light intensity.
C) Eyespots lack sensory cells.
D) Eyespots lack lenses.
E) Eyespots contain opaque lenses.

Question 57

Cones are responsible for:

A) night vision.
B) the detection of movement.
C) dim light vision.
D) peripheral vision.
E) the perception of fine detail.

Question 58

Humans and chimps have approximately how many functional olfactory genes?

A) 4
B) 100
C) 400
D) 1,000
E) 4,000

Question 59

Figure 43-1 ​

​
Refer to the accompanying figure with the lateral line organs of fishe s . The structures indicated by label 3 are:

A) hair cells.
B) cupula.
C) stereocilia.
D) sensory neurons.
E) supporting cells.

Question 60

Identify the correct order of structures in the vertebrate eye through which incoming light passes before the impulse travels to the brain. 1) Aqueous fluid
2) Cornea
3) Lens
4) Optic nerve
5) Photoreceptors
6) Vitreous body

A) 3 → 6 → 2 → 1 → 5 → 4
B) 1 → 3 → 2 → 6 → 4 → 5
C) 2 → 6 → 3 → 1 → 4 → 5
D) 2 → 1 → 3 → 6 → 5 → 4
E) 3 → 5 → 1 → 6 → 2 → 4

Question 61

An interoceptor is located within a body organ.

Question 62

Discuss how a rod responds differently in the light than in the dark.

Question 63

How does a person distinguish flavors?

Question 64

Trace the path of a sound wave beginning from its entry into the ear to its transmission to the brain.

Question 65

The choroid layer is a sheet of cells filled with black pigment that absorbs extra light.

Question 66

Compare and contrast simple, compound, and vertebrate eyes.

Question 67

The retina contains light sensitive cells.

Question 68

Statocysts of fish and aquatic amphibians detect vibrations in water.

Question 70

Some migratory birds utilize electromagnetic receptors to navigate.

Question 71

Sensilla are sensory hairs involved in taste and smell.

Question 73

Describe the functions of electroreceptors and identify the functions of magnetic reception.

Question 74

In the visual pathway information is sent from the photoreceptor cells in the retina directly to the ganglion cells.

Question 75

A receptor potential is an all-or-none response.

Question 76

Discuss the function of hair cells as sensory receptors, and identify two different locations and/or organs that utilize these receptors.

Question 77

Explain energy transduction and receptor potential as they relate to the function of a sensory receptor.

Question 78

Rods of the human eye allow detection of shape, movement, and color.

Question 80

In many invertebrates and vertebrates, tactile sensors lie at the base of a hair or bristle.