Question 1

Which of the following is true regarding supertasters?

Accepted Answer

Supertasters have a higher density of taste buds compared to non-supertasters, which contributes to their heightened sense of taste.

Question 2

Tory eats a piece of broccoli and spits it out and says,"That's so bitter!" She also does not like fatty or sweet foods.It is likely that Tory is

Accepted Answer

Tory's aversion to bitter, fatty, and sweet foods suggests that she is a supertaster, which means she has a heightened ability to taste certain compounds found in foods. Supertasters typically find bitter flavors overwhelming and may be more sensitive to the taste of fat and sweetness.

Question 3

Which of the following is the most recently identified of the basic taste sensations?

Accepted Answer

Umami is the most recently identified basic taste sensation, recognized in the 20th century, and is associated with the taste of glutamate, often described as savory or meaty.

Question 4

Bumps on the tongue called __________ contain numerous __________ .

Accepted Answer

Bumps on the tongue are called papillae and they contain taste buds. Option A is incorrect because mechanoreceptors are sensory receptors that respond to mechanical stimuli, but they are not found in the bumps on the tongue. Option C is incorrect because taste buds are found inside the papillae, not alongside mechanoreceptors. Option D is incorrect because taste buds are not found on the papillae themselves but within them.

Question 5

The complex flavours we experience when we bite into a great sandwich are due to:

Accepted Answer

Both the gustatory (taste) system and olfactory (smell) system working together contribute to the complex flavours we experience when we eat a great sandwich. The gustatory system detects sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami tastes, while the olfactory system detects the aroma or smell of the food. The combination of these two systems creates the overall taste of the food.

Question 6

Karen has suffered from phantom limb pain for several years.She visits a neurologist who proposes trying a therapeutic treatment that has been proven to be effective.Karen is surprised that this simple treatment uses

Accepted Answer

Mirror therapy has been proven to be effective in treating phantom limb pain. The patient places a mirror next to the intact limb and positions the affected limb so that it appears to be in the mirror. By watching the reflected image of the intact limb move, the brain is tricked into thinking the amputated limb is also moving, reducing pain and improving function. Ice and warm water therapy, mental visualization, guided meditation, and acupuncture have not been proven to be as effective in treating phantom limb pain.

Question 7

A leading theory of phantom limb pain holds that this experience is due to

Accepted Answer

The rewiring of the brain after the loss of input from the lost limb is the leading theory of phantom limb pain. Without input from the lost limb, the brain may reorganize and form new connections that can result in sensations and pain in the missing body part.

Question 8

We are sensitive to _________ basic tastes.

Accepted Answer

The commonly accepted number of basic tastes is five: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami (savory). While some sources suggest there may be additional tastes beyond these basic five, seven and countless are not typically recognized as standard numbers of basic tastes.

Question 9

Why might food taste bland if your nose were congested due to a cold or allergies?

Accepted Answer

The sense of smell is crucial for experiencing the full range of flavors in food. When the nose is congested, the ability to smell is reduced, which in turn affects the perception of taste.

Quiz 4: B: Sensation and Perception