As Molly is walking across campus, a car swerves toward her. Her heart races and sweat breaks out as she jumps out of harm's way. This mobilization of energy is due to the action of Molly's ________.
A) somatic nervous system
B) skeletal nervous system
C) parasympathetic nervous system
D) sympathetic nervous system

Question

As Molly is walking across campus, a car swerves toward her. Her heart races and sweat breaks out as she jumps out of harm's way. This mobilization of energy is due to the action of Molly's ________.
A) somatic nervous system
B) skeletal nervous system
C) parasympathetic nervous system 
D) sympathetic nervous system

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for the body's fight or flight response, which causes increased heart rate and sweating in response to perceived danger or stress, as Molly experienced in this scenario. The somatic nervous system is responsible for voluntary movements such as walking, but does not cause the physiological response that Molly experienced. The skeletal nervous system is not a recognized term in neuroscience. The parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for relaxing the body after stress and is not activated in this scenario.

As Molly Is Walking Across Campus, a Car Swerves Toward