When John drives his car at night, he finds that he can barely see traffic and street signs if he looks directly at them. He can increase his visual sensitivity by looking at the signs ________.
A) out of the side of his eye (using more rods) instead of focusing directly on them (using more cones)
B) and squinting, which focuses the available light more precisely
C) out of the side of his eye, because doing so focuses the image on the blind spot
D) out of the side of his eye (using more cones) instead of focusing directly on them (using more rods)

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Looking out of the side of the eye uses more rods, which are more sensitive to low levels of light and can enhance visual sensitivity in dimly lit environments. Focusing directly on the signs uses more cones, which are less sensitive to low light levels. Squinting can help to reduce glare but does not enhance visual sensitivity in low light conditions. Looking out of the side of the eye does not focus the image on the blind spot as the brain fills in any missing information through a process called visual interpolation. Using more cones instead of rods would not improve visual sensitivity in low light conditions.

When John Drives His Car at Night, He Finds That