Question 1

Our perception of the environment depends on
A) the properties of the objects in the environment.
B) the properties of the electrical signals in the nervous system.
C) both the properties of the environmental objects and properties of the electrical signals in the nervous system.
D) none of these are true.

Accepted Answer

Both the properties of the environmental objects (such as color and shape) and the properties of the electrical signals in the nervous system (such as firing rate and pattern) contribute to our perception of the environment. Perception is a complex process that involves the brain's interpretation of sensory information, so both factors are necessary for perception to occur.

Question 2

In the early stages of _______, peripheral rod receptors are destroyed leading to poorer peripheral vision.
A) macular degeneration
B) retinitis pigmentosa
C) presbyopia
D) retinal hypopolarization

Accepted Answer

The condition described is retinitis pigmentosa, which is a hereditary disease that causes the gradual destruction of peripheral rod receptors. This leads to poorer peripheral vision and eventually central vision may also be affected. Macular degeneration is another condition that affects central vision specifically, and presbyopia is a natural age-related decline in near vision focusing ability. There is no such thing as retinal hypopolarization.

Question 3

A wavelength of 100 nm would fall in the ______ range of the electromagnetic spectrum.
A) X-rays
B) ultraviolet rays
C) infrared rays
D) gamma rays

Accepted Answer

The electromagnetic spectrum is a range of electromagnetic radiation that includes radio waves, microwaves, infrared radiation, visible light, ultraviolet radiation, X-rays, and gamma rays.

The wavelength of 100 nm falls in the ultraviolet range of the spectrum, which ranges from approximately 10 nm to 400 nm. Therefore, the best choice is B) ultraviolet rays.

A) X-rays have shorter wavelengths than 100 nm, ranging from approximately 0.01 nm to 10 nm.

C) Infrared rays have longer wavelengths than 100 nm, ranging from approximately 700 nm to 1 mm.

D) Gamma rays have much shorter wavelengths than 100 nm, ranging from approximately 0.01 nm to 0.1 nm.

Question 4

Which of the following is true about the difference between the rods and the cones?
A) The rods control vision in high illumination conditions, and the cones control vision in low illumination conditions.
B) The rods are packed in an area called the fovea, and the cones are found more in the peripheral retina.
C) There are about 120 million rods in the human eye and about 5 million cones.
D) The only difference between the rods and the cones is physical shape.

Accepted Answer

There are about 120 million rods and about 5 million cones in the human eye, which indicates a significant difference in their numbers. Option A is incorrect because the cones are responsible for vision in high illumination conditions and the rods for vision in low illumination conditions. Option B is incorrect because the cones are packed in an area called the fovea, and the rods are more found in the peripheral retina. Option D is incorrect because rods and cones have physical differences in shape, size, and functional properties.

Question 5

Individual suffering from myopia may have difficulty seeing _______ objects clearly. Often times they are also referred to as being _______.
A) nearby; farsighted
B) nearby; nearsighted
C) distant; farsighted
D) distant; nearsighted

Accepted Answer

Myopia, commonly known as nearsightedness, is a refractive error in which an individual can see nearby objects clearly but have difficulty seeing distant objects. Therefore, the correct choice is distant and nearsighted.

Question 6

_______ reacts to light to start the process of transduction.
A) Opsin
B) Retinal
C) Choroid
D) Thyric acid

Accepted Answer

Retinal is a molecule found in the photoreceptor cells of the retina that reacts to light to start the process of transduction. Retinal undergoes a conformational change when it absorbs photons, which triggers a series of events that ultimately results in the generation of an electrical signal that is transmitted to the brain. Opsin is a protein that is bound to retinal in photoreceptor cells and helps to facilitate this process. Choroid is a layer of tissue in the eye that provides oxygen and nutrients to photoreceptor cells, but it does not play a direct role in the process of transduction. Thyric acid is not related to the process of vision.

Question 7

The structure of the eye that provides about 80% of the eye's focusing power is the
A) iris.
B) pupil.
C) cornea.
D) lens.

Accepted Answer

The cornea is the eye's outermost layer and is the primary structure responsible for focusing most of the light that enters the eye. It provides about 80% of the eye's focusing power, with the lens inside the eye adjusting to fine-tune vision.

Question 8

The distance at which the lens can no longer bring a close object into focus is called the
A) far point.
B) near point.
C) high point.
D) coupee point.

Accepted Answer

The near point is the closest distance at which an eye can focus on an object, beyond which the lens can no longer bring the object into focus. The far point is the farthest distance at which an eye can focus on an object. The other options, high point and coupee point, are not related to the focusing ability of the lens in the eye.

Question 9

Nina does a demonstration of "seeing" the blind spot, in which a grid pattern surrounds the black dot that disappears when it falls on the blind spot. What does Nina most likely see in the area where the dot disappears?
A) a blurry gray area
B) a white circle
C) nothing
D) a continuation of the grid pattern

Accepted Answer

Nina would most likely see a continuation of the grid pattern due to the brain's ability to fill in missing information in the visual field, especially when the surrounding area has a consistent pattern. This phenomenon helps maintain a continuous perception of the environment even when parts of the visual field fall on the blind spot.

Question 10

LASIK surgery is used to treat _______ by cutting a small flap in the _________.
A) myopia; cornea
B) myopia; lens
C) hyperopia; cornea
D) presbyopia; lens

Accepted Answer

LASIK surgery is primarily used to treat myopia (nearsightedness) by cutting a small flap in the cornea, reshaping the tissue underneath with a laser, and replacing the flap. LASIK surgery is not effective in treating hyperopia (farsightedness) or presbyopia (age-related loss of near vision).

Question 11

The isomerization of a single pigment molecule triggers what is best described as a
A) chain reaction.
B) ballistic expansion.
C) hyperactive potential.
D) hypopolarization wave.

Accepted Answer

The activation of a single pigment molecule causes a chain reaction of phototransduction events in which adjacent molecules are also activated, leading to the transmission of a signal along the photoreceptor cell.

Question 12

Visible light is between _____ and ____ nm within the electromagnetic spectrum.
A) 100; 400
B) 400; 700
C) 500; 1000
D) 900; 1500

Accepted Answer

Visible light ranges from approximately 400 to 700 nm, which corresponds to the spectrum of colors that can be detected by the human eye. Choice A is too low and includes ultraviolet light, while choices C and D are too high and include infrared light.

Question 13

The episode of "Mythbusters" cited in the textbook demonstrated that dark adaptation was the reason why
A) poker players wear sunglasses.
B) pirates wore eyepatches.
C) cardinals have good night vision.
D) giants have poor night vision.

Accepted Answer

The episode of "Mythbusters" demonstrated that pirates wore eyepatches in order to preserve their night vision in one eye, while the other eye adapted to the dark below deck. This allowed them to quickly switch between the two environments without losing their ability to see in low light.

Question 14

Lorelei's mother is 60 years old. Because of the condition called ______, the closest distance at which she can focus an object is probably about ____ cm.
A) cataracts; 20
B) cataracts; 40
C) presbyopia; 100
D) dermabrasion; 150

Accepted Answer

Presbyopia is the loss of ability to see close objects or small print due to aging. It typically occurs in individuals over the age of 40 and continues to progress as they age. The closest distance at which a person with presbyopia can focus on objects gradually increases, often reaching 100 cm or more by the age of 60. Cataracts, on the other hand, cause cloudy vision and can lead to vision loss, but do not affect the ability to focus on nearby objects. Dermabrasion is a cosmetic procedure that removes dead skin cells, and is unrelated to vision.

Question 15

A retinal condition that destroys the cones in the fovea is
A) macular degeneration.
B) retinitis pigmentosa.
C) presbyopia.
D) retinal hypopolarization.

Accepted Answer

Macular degeneration is a retinal condition that damages the macula, the small central portion of the retina that contains the highest concentration of cones. When these cones are destroyed, it can cause central vision loss, making it difficult to read, recognize faces, or see fine details. Retinitis pigmentosa is another retinal condition that causes progressive vision loss, but it primarily affects the rods, which are responsible for detecting motion and seeing in low light conditions. Presbyopia is a condition that affects the lens of the eye and causes difficulty with near vision, especially as people age. Retinal hypopolarization is not a recognized medical condition.

Question 16

Jan tries to focus on the tip of her pencil as she brings it closer to her. She feels the strain on her eye as she does this. What she is feeling in her eye is due to the process called
A) inhibition.
B) reflection.
C) accommodation.
D) assimilation.

Accepted Answer

Accommodation is the process by which the lens of the eye changes shape to bring objects into focus on the retina. When Jan brings her pencil closer to her eye, her lens has to curve more to focus on the pencil, causing strain on her eye.

Question 17

Vera has hyperopia, and tends to get headaches when she reads. This is because
A) Vera also has presbyopia and has the constant need to accommodate.
B) Vera also has myopia and is unable to accommodate.
C) Vera has just had LASIK surgery and her ciliary muscles are damaged.
D) Vera is 5-years-old and lacks the visual acuity to read.

Accepted Answer

Hyperopia, or farsightedness, means Vera's eyes have to work harder to focus on close objects, leading to eye strain and headaches. Presbyopia, a condition that often accompanies hyperopia, involves the eye's lens losing flexibility, requiring constant accommodation for near tasks.

Question 18

Light can be described in terms of wavelength, or as consisting of small packets of energy called
A) photons.
B) electrons.
C) ions.
D) pulsars.

Accepted Answer

Photons are the fundamental particles that make up light, and they carry energy proportional to their frequency or inversely proportional to their wavelength. Electrons and ions are not fundamental particles that make up light, and pulsars are astronomical objects that emit radio waves as pulses, which is a different phenomenon than light.

Question 19

The visual pigment molecules are contained in the
A) inner segments of the visual receptors.
B) outer segments of the visual receptors.
C) axons of the rods.
D) axons of the cones.

Accepted Answer

The visual pigment molecules, also known as photopigments, are contained in the outer segments of the visual receptors (rods and cones) in the retina. These pigments are responsible for absorbing light and initiating the process of visual transduction, which ultimately leads to the perception of visual stimuli. The inner segments contain the cellular machinery necessary for the maintenance and regeneration of the visual pigments. The axons of the rods and cones transmit the signals generated by the visual pigments to the other cells in the retina and ultimately to the brain.

Question 20

The blind spot is located
A) in the fovea.
B) in the vitreous.
C) where the optic nerve leaves the eye.
D) at the optic chiasm.

Accepted Answer

The blind spot refers to the area on the retina where the optic nerve exits the eye. This area contains no photoreceptor cells, and as a result, no visual information can be detected from this part of the visual field.

Quiz 2: The Beginnings of Perception

Our perception of the environment depends on

In the early stages of _______, peripheral rod receptors are destroyed leading to poorer peripheral vision.

A wavelength of 100 nm would fall in the ______ range of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Which of the following is true about the difference between the rods and the cones?

Individual suffering from myopia may have difficulty seeing _ objects clearly. Often times they are also referred to as being _.

_______ reacts to light to start the process of transduction.

The structure of the eye that provides about 80% of the eye's focusing power is the

The distance at which the lens can no longer bring a close object into focus is called the

Nina does a demonstration of "seeing" the blind spot, in which a grid pattern surrounds the black dot that disappears when it falls on the blind spot. What does Nina most likely see in the area where the dot disappears?

LASIK surgery is used to treat _ by cutting a small flap in the ___.

The isomerization of a single pigment molecule triggers what is best described as a

Visible light is between _ and nm within the electromagnetic spectrum.

The episode of "Mythbusters" cited in the textbook demonstrated that dark adaptation was the reason why

Lorelei's mother is 60 years old. Because of the condition called __, the closest distance at which she can focus an object is probably about cm.

A retinal condition that destroys the cones in the fovea is

Jan tries to focus on the tip of her pencil as she brings it closer to her. She feels the strain on her eye as she does this. What she is feeling in her eye is due to the process called

Vera has hyperopia, and tends to get headaches when she reads. This is because

Light can be described in terms of wavelength, or as consisting of small packets of energy called

The visual pigment molecules are contained in the

The blind spot is located