Suppose you have three water baths in front of you. The temperature of the one on the left is 22°C (cold), the one in the middle is 25°C (room temperature), and the one on the right is 44°C (warm). At the same time, you place the index finger of your right hand into the warm water bath and the index finger of your left hand into the cold water bath, and you leave them there for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, why would you no longer feel a difference in temperature between the two water baths?
A) The sensory receptors in your index fingers speed up the conversion of the stimulus (water) to a chemical signal.
B) The sensory receptors in your index fingers diminish the conversion of the stimulus (water) to an electrical signal.
C) The sensory receptors in your index fingers become less sensitive over time as they are stimulated repeatedly.
D) Receptor potentials in the sensory receptors in your index fingers start off weak and then become stronger.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The sensory receptors in your index fingers become less sensitive over time as they are stimulated repeatedly, which is known as sensory adaptation. This means that after 2 minutes, your index finger in the cold water bath and the one in the warm water bath will both be sending signals to your brain indicating a similar temperature, even though the actual temperatures of the water baths are very different.

Suppose You Have Three Water Baths in Front of You