Question 1

The branch of the autonomic nervous system that prepares the body for quick action in an emergency is the ________ division.

Accepted Answer

The sympathetic division is referred to as the "fight or flight" response because it prepares the body to respond quickly and effectively in an emergency situation. This includes increasing heart rate and blood pressure, dilating pupils, and releasing adrenaline into the bloodstream.

Question 2

The peripheral nervous system consists of the ________ and the ________ nervous systems.

Accepted Answer

The peripheral nervous system includes two main branches: the somatic nervous system, which controls voluntary movements and sensory information, and the autonomic nervous system, which regulates involuntary functions such as heart rate and digestion. The other options listed (A, B, D) do not accurately describe the two branches of the peripheral nervous system.

Question 3

All the things that we can sense (sights, sounds, smells, temperature, taste, and pressure) have their origins in the ________ nervous system.

Accepted Answer

The answer of All the things that we can sense...

Question 4

Regarding the two communication systems that integrate and coordinate behavior, the nervous system and the endocrine system, ________.

Accepted Answer

The nervous and endocrine systems influence each other's activities. The nervous system can influence the activity of the hormonal system, and the hormonal system can influence the activity of the nervous system. They work together to integrate and coordinate behavior in the body.

Question 5

The sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions are part of the ________ nervous system.

Accepted Answer

The sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions are both part of the autonomic nervous system, which regulates involuntary processes in the body such as heart rate, digestion, and breathing. The central nervous system (B) includes the brain and spinal cord, while the somatic nervous system (D) controls voluntary movements and sensory inputs. There is no such thing as a tertiary nervous system (C).

Question 6

The somatic and autonomic nervous systems are two major divisions of the ________ nervous system.

Accepted Answer

The somatic and autonomic nervous systems are two major divisions of the peripheral nervous system. The parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems are subdivisions of the autonomic nervous system. The central nervous system includes the brain and spinal cord.

Question 7

The autonomic nervous system consists of ________.

Accepted Answer

The autonomic nervous system is divided into the parasympathetic and sympathetic divisions. These two divisions work together to regulate involuntary bodily functions such as heart rate, digestion, and respiration. The autonomic nervous system does not include sense organs and sensory neurons, the brain and spinal cord, or muscles and glands on its own.

Question 8

It's midnight and you are alone in your room studying. You hear a loud crash outside your room and your whole body reacts instantly. Your pupils dilate, your heart rate increases, your blood pressure rises, adrenaline surges through your body, and your senses sharpen as you begin anxiously looking for whatever caused the crash. These reactions are produced by the ________.

Accepted Answer

The fight or flight response is triggered by the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system, which is responsible for activating the body's stress response in times of danger or perceived threat. This response includes the dilation of pupils, increase in heart rate and blood pressure, surge in adrenaline, and sharpening of senses, all of which are described in the scenario.

Question 9

A young man reads in a letter that he has just won $1,000 in a statewide lottery and he literally jumps for joy. Which neurons are sending messages from his brain to the muscles in his legs causing him to jump?

Accepted Answer

Efferent neurons are also known as motor neurons, which carry signals from the brain to the muscles or glands, allowing the body to respond to sensations or signals. In this case, the efferent neurons would be responsible for making the young man jump for joy upon receiving good news.

Question 10

The system which coordinates and integrates behavior by secreting chemicals into the bloodstream is called the ________ system.

Accepted Answer

The endocrine system is responsible for secreting hormones into the bloodstream in order to coordinate and integrate behavior. The somatic system is responsible for voluntary movement and the limbic system is involved in emotions and memory. The autonomic system is responsible for regulating involuntary bodily processes such as heart rate and digestion.

Question 11

The branch of the autonomic nervous system that calms and relaxes the body is the ________ division.

Accepted Answer

The parasympathetic division is responsible for slowing down bodily functions and promoting relaxation. It works in opposition to the sympathetic division, which is responsible for activating the "fight or flight" response. The other options given (B, C, and D) do not accurately describe the function of the parasympathetic division.

Question 12

Chemical substances released by the endocrine glands to help regulate bodily functions are ________.

Accepted Answer

Chemical substances released by the endocrine glands to help regulate bodily functions are hormones. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that transmit signals across a synapse from one neuron (nerve cell) to another. Enzymes are proteins that catalyze chemical reactions in the body. Antigens are substances that induce an immune response in the body, often by triggering the production of antibodies.

Question 13

The heavy footsteps on the stairs get closer and closer. Slowly, the door to the bedroom creaks open. As a strange man with a knife in his hand lunges in, you let out an ear-piercing scream. Which of the following most accurately describes your nervous system at this point?

Accepted Answer

This situation is a classic example of the fight or flight response, which is controlled by the sympathetic nervous system. The sudden fear activates the sympathetic nervous system, which prepares the body for action by increasing heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration. At the same time, the parasympathetic nervous system is suppressed to allow for the body to respond quickly. Therefore, in this scenario, the sympathetic nervous system is more active than the parasympathetic nervous system.

Question 14

Neurons that send messages from the spinal cord to the foot do so through ________ neurons.

Accepted Answer

Efferent neurons, also known as motor neurons, carry messages from the central nervous system (in this case, the spinal cord) to the peripheral nervous system (in this case, the foot).

Question 15

You're walking all alone down a dark street when suddenly you hear a scream and then footsteps coming closer and closer. Your heart begins to pound, you're scared stiff, and you feel like running. Which part of the nervous system causes your body's reaction?

Accepted Answer

The autonomic nervous system is responsible for the body's involuntary response to stressful or dangerous situations. This includes the "fight or flight" response triggered by hearing a scream and footsteps coming closer. The somatic nervous system controls voluntary movements and the midbrain and hippocampus are not directly involved in this physical reaction.

Question 16

It's midnight and you are alone in your room studying. You hear a loud crash outside your room. Your body instantly reacts to this potential threat as you feel your heart pounding and your senses sharpening. Then you see your lumbering English sheep dog walking around the hallway corner and realize that the crash was undoubtedly from something he knocked over. Recovering from your alarm, your body now relaxes and you return to normal. The body system helping you to return to normal is the ________.

Accepted Answer

The parasympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system is responsible for the body's "rest and digest" response. It helps to slow down heart rate, decrease respiration, and return the body to a relaxed state after a perceived threat has passed. In this scenario, once the person realized the loud crash was caused by their dog and not a potential threat, their body was able to return to normal with the help of the parasympathetic division.

Question 17

The ________ nervous system is composed of all the neurons that carry messages between your central nervous system and all of the internal organs of your body.

Accepted Answer

The autonomic nervous system is responsible for regulating and controlling the internal organs of the body, such as the heart, lungs, and digestive system. This system is different from the somatic nervous system, which controls voluntary movements of the body, and the central nervous system, which includes the brain and spinal cord.

Question 18

Endocrine glands are glands that secrete ________.

Accepted Answer

Endocrine glands are specialized glands that produce and secrete hormones directly into the bloodstream, rather than through a duct. Hormones are chemical messengers that play important roles in various physiological processes and help regulate the body's functions, such as growth and development, metabolism, and reproduction.

Question 19

The messages in the nervous system are carried through nerves; the messages in the endocrine system are carried through ________.

Accepted Answer

The endocrine system specializes in sending messages through hormones, which are carried through the bloodstream. Nerves are not involved in hormone transport. The somatic system controls voluntary movements, and it is not related to the endocrine system. Ducts are involved in transporting substances in exocrine glands, which are not a part of the endocrine system. While glands produce hormones, they do not carry them; it is the bloodstream that carries hormones throughout the body.

Question 20

Every deliberate action you make, from pedaling a bike to scratching a toe, involves neurons in the ________ nervous system.

Accepted Answer

The somatic nervous system controls voluntary movements and sensory information in the body, such as pedaling a bike or scratching a toe. The other options, sympathetic and parasympathetic, control involuntary functions such as heart rate and digestion. There is no such thing as a "secondary" nervous system.

Quiz 2: The Biological Basis of Behavior