Question 1

What is "Umami?"

Accepted Answer

Umami is the fifth basic taste sensation that is described as savory or meaty. It is often found in foods such as soups, cheese, and chicken.

Question 2

What is the name of the membrane that runs the length of the cochlea and has auditory receptors (in the form of hair cells)on its surface?

Accepted Answer

The basilar membrane runs the length of the cochlea and has auditory receptors (hair cells) on its surface, which are crucial for hearing.

Question 3

The part of the nose that exists in many mammals that is responsible for the reception of pheromones is called the __________ organ.

Accepted Answer

The vomeronasal organ, located in the nasal cavity, is responsible for detecting pheromones in many mammals, including humans. The epithelial cells and olfactory receptors also play a role in the detection of odors, but not specifically pheromones. The term "pheroreceptive" is not a commonly used term in relation to the nose or olfaction.

Question 4

Mitzi likes to arrange her pantry in a very specific order.The soups that she likes are all grouped together,as are the snacks,pastas,and cookies.In the very same way,the primary auditory cortex is organized in a __________ arrangement,which means that neurons grouped together based on the frequencies to which they prefer to respond.

Accepted Answer

The description of the primary auditory cortex being organized based on the frequencies to which neurons prefer to respond suggests a tonotopic arrangement. Hierarchical, sequential, and proprioceptive arrangements do not fit the specific description given.

Question 5

A negative feeling caused by an external stimulus is referred to as __________ pain.

Accepted Answer

Nociceptive pain is caused by damage to body tissue and is usually described as a sharp, aching, or throbbing pain. It is the result of an external stimulus, such as a cut or a burn, activating pain receptors in the body.

Question 6

In a very unfortunate farming accident,Jerry had to have his left leg amputated.Even though he was fitted with a prosthetic and learned to adapt to having only one real leg,Jerry would occasionally "feel" pain in his amputated limb.This sort of pain,called phantom limb pain,is an example of __________ pain.

Accepted Answer

Phantom limb pain is a type of neuropathic pain caused by damage to the nervous system. It is a form of pain that feels like it originates from a body part that is no longer there. Nociceptive pain is caused by actual tissue damage, referred pain is pain that is felt in a different part of the body than where the actual problem is, and imagined pain is not a recognized medical condition.

Question 7

An area of reduced sound around the ear farther away from where a sound originates is referred to as a sound __________.

Accepted Answer

The term "sound shadow" refers to an area where sound waves are obstructed or diminished, creating a zone of reduced sound intensity. This phenomenon occurs because high-frequency sounds do not bend around obstacles as well as low-frequency sounds, leading to a "shadow" area where the sound is significantly quieter, especially noticeable with barriers or when sound originates from one side of the listener.

Question 8

The vomeronasal organs,located in the noses of most mammals,are specifically designed to be receptive to __________.

Accepted Answer

The vomeronasal organs are part of the olfactory system and are specifically designed to detect pheromones, which are chemical cues released by animals to communicate with others of the same species.

Question 9

It is a commonly known fact that dogs have a much keener sense of smell than do human beings.What is not commonly known,however,is why.Because you have studied psychophysics,you know the answer to this question.What is it?

Accepted Answer

Dogs have a better sense of smell because they have far more scent receptors than do human beings. Dogs have about 300 million olfactory receptors in their noses, while humans have only around 5 million. This means that dogs are able to pick up much more subtle scents than humans are able to detect. Additionally, dogs have a larger region of the brain devoted to processing smells, which enhances their ability to detect and differentiate scents.

Question 10

Which of the following is one of the tiny bones of the middle ear?

Accepted Answer

The stirrup, also known as the stapes, is one of the three tiny bones in the middle ear, alongside the hammer (or malleus) and the anvil (or incus). These bones work together to transmit sound vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear. The semicircular canal and cochlea are also parts of the inner ear, but they are not the tiny bones of the middle ear. The eardrum, or tympanic membrane, is not a bone at all but a thin layer of tissue that vibrates in response to sound waves.

Question 11

What are the tiny bumps that you can see on your tongue called?

Accepted Answer

The tiny bumps on your tongue are called papillae. They contain taste buds, which detect different flavors, and also help to grip food while chewing. Microvilli are microscopic projections on the surface of cells that increase their surface area, while gustatory sulci are grooves on the surface of the tongue where taste buds are located, but they are not the same as the papillae.

Question 12

Why do you often lose your sense of taste when you have a bad cold and are very congested?

Accepted Answer

C) Because the back of the mouth cavity is connected to the nasal cavity. This connection means that when you're congested, the flow of air and the transfer of aroma molecules to the olfactory receptors in the nasal cavity are impeded, significantly reducing your ability to taste. Taste and smell are closely linked; much of what we perceive as taste comes from our sense of smell.

Question 13

The __________ sense is the sense relating to how a person's body parts interact with one another.

Accepted Answer

The kinesthetic sense is the sense relating to how a person's body parts interact with one another. It is also known as proprioception. The vestibular sense is related to balance and spatial orientation. Nociceptive sense is related to the perception of pain, and vomeronasal sense is related to detecting pheromones.

Question 14

How many basic taste sensations do human beings have according to the most recent research?

Accepted Answer

The most recent research suggests that human beings have 5 basic taste sensations: sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami. Umami is a Japanese word that describes the taste of glutamate, which is found in many savory foods. This differs from older research that suggested there were only 4 basic taste sensations.

Question 15

Which of the following has been found to have a negative effect on our olfactory system?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following has been found...

Question 16

While shopping at a department store,an ambitious young saleswoman walks up to you."Would you like to try our newest perfume? It's called Allure,and it is guaranteed to get the attention of that special someone because it is formulated with real human pheromones!" Because you've recently had an interest in a new "special someone," what would be your best option in this situation?

Accepted Answer

While the saleswoman's pitch may sound enticing, there is no credible scientific evidence that supports the claim that pheromones in perfumes can increase someone's attraction to you. It is best to politely decline and not waste money on a product that may not actually work.

Question 17

Compared to our eyesight,the olfactory system of human beings is rather poorly developed.Despite this comparative limitation,human beings are still able to distinguish well over _________ different odors.

Accepted Answer

Humans can distinguish over 10,000 different odors, despite having a less developed olfactory system compared to other animals.

Question 18

Which of the following is not one of the "skin senses"?

Accepted Answer

The "skin senses" are typically considered to be touch, pressure, temperature, and pain. Movement is not typically considered a distinct skin sense.

Question 19

Which of the following structures is not a part of the outer ear?

Accepted Answer

The cochlea is a structure located in the inner ear, not in the outer ear. The outer ear consists of the pinna, ear canal, and eardrum.

Question 20

Which of the following responses is not triggered by the reception of pheromones in many mammals?

Accepted Answer

Hunger is not typically triggered by the reception of pheromones in many mammals. Pheromones mostly affect social behaviors such as aggression, sexual arousal, and territorial behavior.

Quiz 5: Sensation and Perception