Question 1

When deficits in the sense of smell have been studied,it has been found that smokers

Accepted Answer

Smokers who have smoked heavily for a long period may need to abstain for a significant time before their sense of smell returns to normal.

Question 2

Uri is walking home alone on a dark night.He hears a stick breaking and immediately turns to his right to see what made the noise.What cue did Uri most likely use to tell which direction the sound came from?

Accepted Answer

Uri most likely used the slight time difference between when the sound reached each ear to tell which direction the sound came from. This is known as the interaural time difference and is a cue used by the brain to determine the location of a sound source.

Question 3

Supertasters appear to have more taste buds and smaller papillae than nonsupertasters,and as a result,supertasters find that

Accepted Answer

Supertasters have a heightened sense of taste because they have more taste buds and smaller papillae. This means they experience taste more intensely, especially the tastes that typically have a pleasant or unpleasant taste. Supertasters often find sweet tastes to be extremely sweet, which is why choice C is the correct answer. Choice A is not accurate, as supertasters are more sensitive to bitterness, not sweetness. Choice B is also not accurate, as supertasters find bitter tastes in vegetables like broccoli to be more intense. Choice D is also not accurate, as supertasters do not experience a sweet taste when consuming salt.

Question 4

Taste receptor cells are located

Accepted Answer

Taste receptor cells are located not only on the tongue but also in the throat, inside the cheeks, and on the roof of the mouth. Therefore, choice D is the best answer.

Question 5

Karen has suffered from phantom limb pain for several years.She visits a neurologist who proposes trying a therapeutic treatment developed by Vilayanur Ramachandran.Karen is surprised that this simple treatment uses

Accepted Answer

The mirror therapy developed by Vilayanur Ramachandran for treating phantom limb pain uses a mirror to reflect the image of the non-painful limb in place of the missing limb. This tricks the brain into perceiving that the missing limb is still present, reducing the pain that the patient experiences.

Question 6

The four basic skin sensations are

Accepted Answer

The four basic skin sensations are touch, warmth, cold, and pain. While pressure can also be considered a basic skin sensation, it is not one of the four traditionally recognized sensations. Burning is not a basic skin sensation, but could potentially be classified as a type of pain sensation.

Question 7

The gate-control theory helps to explain our perception of

Accepted Answer

The gate-control theory explains how pain is perceived in the body. It suggests that there is a "gate" in the spinal cord that can either allow or block pain signals from reaching the brain, depending on factors such as the intensity of the pain, the individual's attention to the pain, and other sensory input.

Question 8

Cats,among other animals,are able to rotate their outer ears.What advantage does this give cats over humans,who cannot move their earlobes?

Accepted Answer

The ability to rotate their outer ears allows cats to determine the direction from which a sound is coming. This is because cats can use the movements of their ears to pinpoint the source of a sound and to orient themselves towards the sound. Humans, who cannot move their earlobes, do not have this advantage.

Question 9

When we vigorously rub a banged elbow,we are applying the principle of

Accepted Answer

The gate-control theory of pain suggests that non-painful sensations compete with painful sensations to reach the brain, and that when non-painful sensations "win," the gate to the brain "closes" and we experience less pain. When we vigorously rub a banged elbow, we activate non-painful touch receptors in the skin, which can help to close the gate and reduce the intensity of the painful sensation.

Question 10

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

Accepted Answer

Phantom limb pain is believed to be caused by an inaccurate representation of the body map in the brain. This occurs when the region of the brain that once received sensory input from the missing limb remains active, sending signals that are interpreted as pain. The remaining answer choices are less likely causes of phantom limb pain. While expectations of pain can play a role in pain perception, they are unlikely to be the primary cause of phantom limb pain. Leftover nerve endings in the missing body part and the release of inflammatory substances are also unlikely causes, as the missing limb is no longer present to have nerves or to release such substances.

Question 11

The actual receptors for taste are found

Accepted Answer

The actual receptors for taste are found inside the taste buds, which are located on the tongue, as well as on other tissues in the mouth and throat. The taste buds contain specialized cells called gustatory cells, which have taste receptor cells on their surface that respond to different tastes.

Question 12

Which statement accurately describes the gate-control theory of pain?

Accepted Answer

The gate-control theory of pain proposes that a "gate" in the spinal cord can either open or close to allow or block pain signals from reaching the brain. This gate is regulated by the activity of small and large nerve fibers that compete to transmit their signals to the brain. When large fibers are active (e.g., due to touch or other non-painful input), they can close the gate and prevent pain signals from being transmitted. On the other hand, when small fibers are active (e.g., due to tissue damage or inflammation), they can open the gate and allow pain signals to be transmitted to the brain. Therefore, the gate-control theory suggests that pain perception is not solely determined by the nature or intensity of the noxious stimulus, but can also be modulated by other sensory input and by the activity of the nervous system.

Question 13

Taste buds are contained in the tongue's

Accepted Answer

Taste buds are located in the papillae, which are small bumps on the tongue's surface.

Question 14

The four primary taste sensations are sweet,bitter,sour,and

Accepted Answer

The four primary taste sensations are sweet, bitter, sour, and salty. The correct answer is D) salt. Neutral, tart, and acid are not included in the four primary taste sensations.

Question 15

Bud has smoked two packs of cigarettes a day since he started smoking in 2001.If he quits smoking in 2011,he can expect that it will take at least until the year _________ before his sense of smell returns to normal.

Accepted Answer

It is estimated that it can take up to 10 years after quitting smoking for the sense of smell to return to normal. Bud started smoking in 2001, and if he quits in 2011, it will take 10 years for his sense of smell to return to normal, which will be in 2021. Therefore, the best choice is D) 2021.

Question 16

Investigators have found that human tongues

Accepted Answer

Research shows that the number of taste buds on the tongue can vary widely, ranging from as few as 500 to as many as 10,000 taste buds.

Question 17

Of the smells that humans detect

Accepted Answer

Research in olfaction does not support the idea that there are basic smells in the same way that there are basic tastes. Instead, the perception of smell is complex and can be broken down into numerous components, not limited to simple categories like "fruity" or "rotten." The sense of smell involves the detection and interpretation of a wide range of chemical molecules, and this complexity means that no single smell is considered more basic than any other.

Question 18

Frida is sitting on a park bench when she hears a police car turn on its siren.Although she cannot see the police car,she is certain that it is nearby.What cue did her brain most likely use to come to this conclusion?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Frida is sitting on a park bench...

Question 19

Isaac lost a leg in Vietnam after a land mine exploded near him.In middle age,he still has times when he feels intense pain that is seemingly coming from his missing leg.It is obvious that Isaac

Accepted Answer

The description of the pain as coming from Isaac's missing leg suggests that he is experiencing phantom pain, a common phenomenon among amputees. The other answer choices (A, B, and D) are not supported by the information given.

Question 20

Tory eats a low-salt potato chip and spits it out and says,"That's so salty!" She also cannot eat Brussels sprouts,pickles,or anything with a lot of saccharin in it because it tastes "too bitter." It is likely that Tory is a(n)

Accepted Answer

Supertasters have a heightened sensitivity to certain flavors, particularly bitter and salty. They may find foods that others consider mildly flavored to be overwhelming. Tory's aversion to salty potato chips and bitterness in Brussels sprouts and saccharin-containing foods suggests that she may be a supertaster.

Quiz 6: Sensation and Perception