Question 1

Which of the following pairs are NOT related in any way?

Accepted Answer

Cones are responsible for color vision and function best in bright light, not for high visual sensitivity, which is a characteristic of rods.

Question 2

On-center ganglion cells _____________ their spike frequency when the center of their receptive field is stimulated by light.

Accepted Answer

On-center ganglion cells increase their spike frequency when the center of their receptive field is stimulated by light, as part of the visual system's way to process contrast and detect edges.

Question 3

Information from the medial retina of each eye crosses to the opposite side to join its corresponding lateral visual field at the level of the

Accepted Answer

The optic chiasma is the structure where the optic nerves partially cross, allowing information from the medial retina (which perceives the lateral visual field) of each eye to cross to the opposite side of the brain. This crossing is crucial for binocular vision and depth perception.

Question 4

The term optic radiations refers to

Accepted Answer

The optic radiations are fiber tracts that carry visual information from the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) of the thalamus to the primary visual cortex in the occipital lobe. This pathway is crucial for the processing of visual stimuli.

Question 5

In which portion of the photoreceptor is the light detecting pigment found?

Accepted Answer

The light-detecting pigment in photoreceptors is located in the outer segment, where phototransduction, the process of converting light into electrical signals, occurs.

Question 6

Phototransduction in invertebrates differs from that in vertebrates in that in invertebrates

Accepted Answer

In invertebrates, photoreceptors typically depolarize in response to light stimulation, whereas in vertebrates, photoreceptors hyperpolarize in response to light.

Question 7

Statocysts are sensory organs used to perceive

Accepted Answer

Statocysts are sensory organs that allow an organism to sense its orientation in space, helping it to maintain balance and navigate its environment.

Question 8

Which of the following pairs is NOT related?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following pairs is NOT...

Question 9

The otolith organs are

Accepted Answer

The otolith organs in the inner ear include the utricle and the saccule, which are responsible for detecting linear accelerations and head tilts in relation to gravity.

Question 10

In the mammalian vestibular apparatus, the ________ are used to detect ________ while the ________ are used to detect ________.

Accepted Answer

The semicircular canals in the mammalian vestibular apparatus are responsible for detecting angular acceleration, such as turning the head, while the otolith organs (utricle and saccule) detect linear acceleration, including forward motion and the effects of gravity.

Question 11

The pitch of a sound is determined by the ________ of vibrations, and in that respect is most similar to the ________ of light.

Accepted Answer

The pitch of a sound is determined by the frequency of vibrations, which is most similar to the wavelength of light, as both frequency in sound and wavelength in light determine their respective characteristics (pitch for sound and color for light).

Question 12

Which of the following statements is NOT true?

Accepted Answer

The cortical gustatory area, responsible for processing taste perception, is located in the insula and the frontal operculum of the brain, not in the temporal lobe.

Question 13

In the normal hearing pathway, sound waves have to pass from air to liquid as sound is transmitted from the external ear to the inner ear. This occurs as a result of

Accepted Answer

The normal hearing pathway involves the transmission of sound from air to liquid in the inner ear. This process is facilitated by several mechanisms: the increase in pressure on the oval window relative to the tympanic membrane, the increase in force applied to the oval window through the lever action of the inner ear ossicles, and the difference in surface areas between the tympanic membrane and the oval window membrane. All these factors work together to efficiently transmit sound waves into the fluid-filled cochlea of the inner ear.

Question 14

The cochlea of each ear contains about 16,000 hair cells. Even though they are in the minority, it is the ____________ hair cells that are principally responsible for transducing sound waves into what we perceive as sound sensations.

Accepted Answer

The inner hair cells of the cochlea are primarily responsible for converting sound waves into electrical signals that the brain interprets as sound. Outer hair cells, on the other hand, are mainly involved in amplifying and fine-tuning sounds but do not play the primary role in sound transduction. Utricular, saccular, and ampullar hair cells are involved in the vestibular system, which helps with balance and spatial orientation, not hearing.

Question 15

Due in part to the physical properties of the basilar membrane, the cochlea is tuned so that

Accepted Answer

The cochlea is organized tonotopically, meaning that different frequencies of sound are processed at different locations along the basilar membrane. High frequency sounds are indeed perceived optimally at the base of the cochlea, near the oval window, due to the physical properties of the basilar membrane.

Question 16

The pitch of a sound is perceived in part due to frequency matching in the action potentials of the ________, and in part due to spatial (tonotopic) mapping of the ________.

Accepted Answer

The pitch of a sound is perceived through frequency matching in the action potentials of the auditory neurons and spatial mapping on the basilar membrane.

Question 17

Ion currents can be found in all vertebrates (eukaryotes) but not in prokaryotes.

Accepted Answer

Ion currents, which involve the movement of ions across cell membranes, are fundamental processes in both eukaryotes (including all vertebrates) and prokaryotes, facilitating various physiological functions such as signal transduction and homeostasis.

Question 18

The detection of physical forces in the environment is most likely the most ancient of the	senses.

Accepted Answer

The detection of physical forces, such as touch and pressure, is considered the most ancient of the senses because it is fundamental for survival and is found even in the simplest organisms, allowing them to respond to their environment.

Question 19

Evolutionary adaptations related to movement have had a significant impact on the size	of the semicircular canals.

Accepted Answer

The size and shape of the semicircular canals, which are part of the inner ear and crucial for balance and spatial orientation, have evolved in relation to an animal's type of movement. For example, species that are more agile and have faster, more complex movements tend to have larger and more sensitive semicircular canals, allowing for better balance and coordination.

Question 20

Animal communication in oceans occurs best at low frequencies because salts in seawater
 absorb high-frequency sounds.

Accepted Answer

High-frequency sounds are absorbed more by the salts and other substances in seawater, making low-frequency sounds travel further and more effectively for communication in the ocean.

Quiz 6: Sensory Physiology