Question 1

On a hot summer day, five children decide to fill up Brock's kiddie pool. Yesterday, Brock's father ran over the hose with the lawnmower, so the hose is not working. The children decide to create a bucket line from the faucet to the pool. The first child passes the full bucket to the second child, the second to the third, and so on until the last child empties the bucket into the pool. If we imagine that EACH child is a neuron, the gap between one child and the next is like a

Accepted Answer

The gap between one child and the next is like a synapse, as it is the gap between two neurons where neurotransmitters are released and received in order to send a signal. Similarly, the children are passing the bucket (neurotransmitter) along the line to send a signal to fill up the pool.

Question 2

Derek has been asked to hand-deliver a message to Adeline. Adeline lives across the river from Derek, and there is no bridge; therefore, Derek must take a boat across the channel. When he reaches the shore, he ties the boat to the dock so he can take the message to Adeline. If we compare Derek's actions to those that occur in neurons, we can say that the dock, where Derrek binds his boat, is like a

Accepted Answer

D

Question 3

Derek has been asked to hand-deliver a message to Adeline. Adeline lives across the river from Derek, and there is no bridge. Derek's friends Hakeem, Geoff, and Rion have also been asked to carry messages across the river. The four friends agree that they will share a boat across the channel so they can deliver their messages. If we compare this scenario to neuron communication, we can say that the boat, which carries the messengers, is like a

Accepted Answer

The boat carrying the messengers is analogous to a synaptic vesicle, which carries neurotransmitters across the synapse to deliver messages between neurons.

Question 4

Rita has always wanted to learn to play the piano. At 40, she decides to take piano lessons. She picks the skill up quickly, partly, her teacher says, because she's so eager to learn. As she learns, the neurons in Rita's brain are changing to store the new information and habits; this is referred to as

Accepted Answer

Neuroplasticity refers to the brain's ability to change and adapt in response to new experiences and learning. As Rita learns to play the piano, her brain is creating new connections and strengthening existing ones, resulting in changes to the organization of the brain's neurons. The other options (A, B, and D) do not accurately describe the phenomenon occurring in Rita's brain as she learns to play the piano.

Question 5

Ashley plays in an orchestra. The neurons responsible for carrying messages to move her hands to play her cello are ________________ neurons.

Accepted Answer

Motor neurons are responsible for carrying messages that control movement of muscles, such as those needed to play an instrument in an orchestra. Sensory neurons, on the other hand, carry messages related to touch, temperature, pain, and other sensations. Excitatory neurons are a type of interneuron that stimulate other neurons to fire, whereas interneurons function to connect motor and sensory neurons to each other within the spinal cord and brain.

Question 6

Marie's husband loves to grab her arm just as the TV show they are watching gets intense. She generally screams, and jumps backward, clutches her chest, because her heart is pounding. Maarie's ________________ nervous system is responsible for her reaction.

Accepted Answer

The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for the body's "fight or flight" response, which includes increased heart rate and breathing, as well as heightened sensitivity to stimuli. Marie's reaction to her husband grabbing her arm fits this description, so the sympathetic nervous system is most likely responsible. The other choices are not as fitting with her reaction.

Question 7

Harry is going to Mei's house to feed Mei's cat while she is gone. Mei left Harry her key ring, but when Harry reaches the front door, he realizes he doesn't know which key fits the lock. He tries several before finding the right one. If we compare the key and the lock to the behaviour of communicating neurons, we can say that the key is like a __________________ and the lock is like a ______________________.

Accepted Answer

The key is like a neurotransmitter because it carries the message (or allows access) to the lock, which is like a receptor site that receives and/or allows entry of the neurotransmitter.

Question 8

Though neurons are the building blocks of our nervous systems, they can't do everything alone. ______________ cells guide neurons into place during prenatal development, hold them still after the nervous system has developed, and keep the neurons safe from toxins.

Accepted Answer

Glial cells are supportive cells in the nervous system that help neurons in various ways, such as providing nutrients, removing waste products, and protecting neurons from toxins. They also guide neurons to their proper locations during prenatal development and maintain them in place after the nervous system has developed. Axon and ion are parts of neurons, while myelin is a type of glial cell that helps to insulate axons.

Question 9

Daria has decided to get the cosmetic injection of Botox to smooth wrinkles between her eyebrows. Before she goes to visit her doctor, she researches Botox on the internet and learns that it's a mild form of the botulism toxin, which paralyzes facial muscles by blocking the action of

Accepted Answer

Botox works by blocking the action of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that stimulates muscle contraction. By inhibiting acetylcholine release, Botox results in the temporary paralysis of targeted muscles, which smooths out wrinkles and fine lines.

Question 10

One of the reasons it's important never to move someone who's been in a car accident unless absolutely necessary is that broken bones in the neck could damage the spinal cord or the ____________, which is the part of the brain responsible for breathing and heartbeat.

Accepted Answer

The medulla is the part of the brain responsible for controlling vital functions such as breathing and heartbeat. Moving someone with a broken neck could damage the spinal cord or the medulla, which could be life-threatening.

Question 11

Ashley plays cello in an orchestra. The neurons responsible for her ability to hear the music are ________________ neurons.

Accepted Answer

Sensory neurons are responsible for transmitting sensory information from sensory organs such as the ears to the central nervous system. In Ashley's case, her ability to hear the music is dependent on sensory neurons transmitting information about sound waves to her brain. The other options (motor, excitatory, and inter-) are not responsible for hearing, but rather for other functions such as movement, signaling other neurons, and connecting neurons within the central nervous system, respectively.

Question 12

After a neuron has sent a nerve pulse, it has to rest for a few milliseconds, a timeframe referred to as

Accepted Answer

The absolute refractory period is a brief period following the generation of an action potential during which the neuron is incapable of generating another action potential. This is due to the fact that the voltage-gated sodium channels are inactivated, which prevents the influx of sodium ions that is necessary for the depolarization phase of an action potential. During this time, the neuron is said to be "resting" or "recovering," which allows it to reset its voltage-gated channels and prepare for the next action potential. Neither A, C, nor D accurately describe this timeframe.

Question 13

Derek has been asked to hand-deliver a message to Adeline. Adeline lives across the river from Derek, and there is no bridge. Therefore, Derek must take a boat across the channel to deliver the message. If we compare Derek's actions to those that occur in neurons, we can say that Derek, the person who carries the message across the channel, is like a

Accepted Answer

Derek is like a neurotransmitter because he carries the message across the channel, which is similar to how neurotransmitters carry messages across synapses in the nervous system. Option A (vesicle) is not a suitable choice because vesicles store neurotransmitters inside neurons and release them into the synapse. Option C (synapse) and option D (receptor site) are not suitable choices because Derek is not a part of the neurons or the synapse, but he is carrying the message like a neurotransmitter.

Question 14

Professor Kendell is explaining how neurons work. He uses the metaphor of an electrical cord to explain neuron structure. Like the wires inside the electrical cord, he says, the ___________ carries the neuron's electrical message; like the rubber protecting the cord's wires, the neuron's _____________ ensures that the signal goes where it's supposed to.

Accepted Answer

The axon carries the neuron's electrical message, and the myelin sheath ensures that the signal goes where it's supposed to. The other options are not as accurate in terms of describing neuron structure and function.

Question 15

On a hot summer day, five children decide to fill up Brock's kiddie pool. Yesterday, Brock's father ran over the hose with the lawnmower, so the hose is not working. The children decide to create a bucket line from the faucet to the pool. The first child passes the full bucket to the second child, the second to the third, and so on until the last child empties the bucket into the pool and tosses the bucket back to the first child. If we compare the children's bucket line to a SINGLE neuron, we can say that the water, which is passed from child to child until it reaches the pool, is like the __________________, or nerve impulse, which is passed through the axon.

Accepted Answer

The nerve impulse, or signal, that is passed through the axon is called an action potential. This is the best choice as it accurately describes the transmission of the impulse through the neuron.

Question 16

Beyond the use of medicines, individuals may be able to exert direct control over their epigenome simply by modifying their exposure to certain chemicals. For example, bisphenolA (BPA), a compound used to make certain plastics, was shown to decrease the methylation of a specific gene in mice. As a result

Accepted Answer

Since BPA has been shown to decrease the methylation of a specific gene in mice, many people now avoid BPA exposure by purchasing BPA free water bottles. This is a direct example of individuals modifying their exposure to certain chemicals in order to potentially impact their epigenome. The other choices are incorrect as researchers did not discover that BPA changes the DNA sequence, nor did they suggest that individuals have no control over their genome.

Question 17

When we're asked to read a passage of text out loud, many parts of the brain are required to recognize the letters, give them meaning, and translate them into speech. Even if each of these parts of the brain is intact, damage to parts of the brain that connect them, collectively referred to as ___________________, can make the process difficult or impossible.

Accepted Answer

The parts of the brain that connect the different regions involved in reading and speaking are collectively referred to as the association cortex. Therefore, damage to this area can disrupt the process of recognizing letters and translating them into speech. Prefrontal cortex, Broca's area, and Wernicke's area are also involved in language processing, but they have more specific functions and do not solely connect different brain regions involved in reading and speaking.

Question 18

When the tamping iron went through Phineas Gage's head, it damaged the part of his brain responsible for self control, planning, judgment, and inhibition of behaviours. This part of the brain is called

Accepted Answer

The frontal lobe is responsible for executive functions such as self control, planning, judgment, and inhibition of behaviours. Damage to this area can result in impulsivity and poor decision-making abilities.

Note: The hypothalamus is involved in regulating basic physiological processes such as hunger, thirst, and body temperature. The association cortex is responsible for higher-level cognitive processes such as perception, attention, and memory. Wernicke's area is involved in language comprehension.

Question 19

When neurotransmitters plug into the appropriate neuron receptors, sodium ions very briefly flood through potassium channels like water through dam floodgates. This changes the neuron's electrical balance and is called

Accepted Answer

This describes the process of an action potential, which occurs when the electrical balance of a neuron is briefly changed by the flood of sodium ions through potassium channels. The other options (B, C, and D) do not accurately describe this process.

Question 20

The hippocampus produces new neurons all the time, a process that is called _______________. This process is believed to be important to learning and memory.

Accepted Answer

The process of producing new neurons in the hippocampus is called neurogenesis, and it is believed to play a role in learning and memory. Choices A, B, and D are unrelated to this specific process.

Quiz 3: The Biology of Behavior