Deck 12: Sensory Mechanisms

Question 1

Somatic receptors distributed throughout the body are linked to sensory neurons that send impulses to which one of the following regions of the brain?

A) pons
B) medulla oblongata
C) parietal lobe
D) frontal lobe
E) occipital lobe

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Which one of the following types of receptors are most likely to be classified as "silent" receptors?

A) pain receptors
B) receptors in skin for light touch
C) joint receptors
D) chemoreceptors
E) thermoreceptors

Answer 2

D

Question 3

The malleus and incus function to

A) channel sounds in the inner ear
B) amplify sound
C) convert a sound wave into an electrical impulse
D) convert a long wave light into an electrical impulse
E) sense static position

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Vibration of the ________ bends hairs of the hair cells, which ultimately generate impulses in ________.

A) basilar membrane, hair cells
B) sensory neurons, tectorial membrane
C) hair cells, sensory neurons
D) organ of Corti, hair cells
E) basilar membrane, sensory neurons

Question 5

Olfactory receptors are located in which one of the following?

A) taste buds
B) muscles
C) upper part of nasal passages
D) skin surrounding nasal openings
E) upper regions of mouth

Question 6

Which of the following receptors are MOST likely to demonstrate receptor adaptation?

A) pain receptors
B) olfactory receptors in the nose
C) photoreceptors in the eye
D) stretch receptors in the muscles and tendons
E) mechanoreceptors in the cochlea (ear)

Question 7

Which one of the following receive(s) a physical or chemical stimulus and ultimately cause(s) nerve impulses to be generated in sensory neurons?

A) the brain
B) axons
C) Schwann cells
D) hillocks
E) receptors

Question 8

________ extend from the tip of taste cells in taste buds into the mouth.

A) Papillae
B) Taste hairs
C) Olfactory bulbs
D) Spindles
E) Tendons

Question 9

Some sensory receptors stop sending action potentials even though the original stimulus persists. This is known as which one of the following?

A) receptor overload
B) receptor adaptation
C) receptor shutdown
D) receptor oversight
E) receptor discontinuance

Question 10

Use the figure below to answer the following question.

The structure shown in the figure above is found in which one of the following?

A) skin
B) inner ear
C) retina
D) middle ear
E) vestibulocochlear nerve

Question 11

Whereas the sense of taste is based on ________ (how many?) classes of taste receptors, the sense of smell has over ________ (how many?) different receptors for chemicals associated with odor.

A) 5, 1,000
B) 20, 200
C) 150, 6
D) 10, 10,000
E) 500, 5,000

Question 12

The loudness (intensity) of a sound is specifically associated with the

A) frequency of sound waves
B) area of the brain interpreting the sensory input
C) specific hair cells that respond in the cochlea
D) amplitude of the sound waves
E) duration of the sound

Question 13

A stronger stimulus results in which one of the following?

A) activation of more receptors
B) greater frequency of action potentials
C) action potentials that travel more quickly
D) activation of more receptors and initiation of more action potentials
E) neural fatigue

Question 14

Receptor adaption occurs when

A) impulse transmission stops at a synapse
B) the brain ignores the incoming action potentials
C) the stimulus stops
D) the sensory neuron stops sending action potentials
E) action potentials from multiple sensory neurons cancel one another

Question 15

Sound is amplified by components of the middle ear when they vibrate. When one of these components, the stapes, vibrates, the ________ will vibrate.

A) tympanic membrane
B) pinna
C) oval window
D) eustachian tube
E) cochlea

Question 16

Receptors for fast pain

A) generally arise from muscles or internal organs
B) give rise to a phenomenon called referred pain
C) transmit action potentials to the brain along the same neurons used by spinal neurons
D) generally occur in or near skin
E) initiate action potentials that travel more quickly

Question 17

A student noticed that when he closed his eyes, he could still determine the position of his arms and legs. This is largely due to the activity of

A) pain receptors
B) mechanoreceptors
C) Merkel disks
D) Meissner's corpuscles
E) chemoreceptors

Question 18

Slow pain originating from an internal organ is often perceived as coming from an area of the body totally unrelated to the source. This is known as

A) delayed perception
B) threshold propagation
C) indirect tolerance
D) "shooting" pain
E) referred pain

Question 19

When a sound wave first arrives at the ear, the wave is directed toward the auditory canal by

A) receptors on the head
B) tympanic membranes
C) pinna
D) auditory tube
E) vestibular apparatus

Question 20

Mechanoreceptors specifically designed to monitor muscle length are termed

A) thermoreceptors
B) muscle spindles
C) dendrites
D) muscle fibers
E) Pacinian corpuscles

Question 21

The vestibule contains two fluid-filled chambers, called the utricle and saccule, which are alike in that

A) they both are surrounded by cupular membranes
B) each has a gel-like substance on the inside
C) both contain ampulla
D) they are directly attached to semicircular canals
E) each lines the semicircular canals

Question 22

LASIK treatment functions to improve eyesight by

A) completely removing a defective cornea
B) widening the iris
C) replacing the eye lens
D) inserting a corrective pupil
E) changing the shape of the cornea

Question 23

As humans age, their ability to focus on nearby objects deteriorates. This is the result of

A) loss of rods and cones
B) increased viscosity of the aqueous and vitreous humor
C) stiffening of the lens and loss of accommodation capability
D) inappropriate response of the iris to varying light intensities
E) changing shape of the eyeball

Question 24

An individual never developed otoliths in the inner ear due to a genetic defect. Which one of the following will be impaired as a result?

A) hearing low-pitched sounds
B) hearing high-pitched sounds
C) sense of head position
D) sense of direction of movement
E) sense of rotational movement

Question 25

Within the cochlea, higher-frequency sounds are converted to electrical impulses near the

A) cornea
B) tapered tip
C) auditory tube
D) oval window
E) round window

Question 26

Different pitched (high or low) sounds are discriminated by the

A) tympanic membrane
B) round and oval windows
C) malleus, incus, and stapes
D) hair cells in specific regions of the cochlea
E) auditory nerve

Question 27

Which one of the following structures is used to sense rotational movement of the head and body?

A) vestibule
B) stapes
C) semicircular canals
D) ampulla and cupula
E) oval window

Question 28

Insufficient number of particular types of cones causes

A) impaired night vision
B) macular degeneration
C) detachment of the retina
D) impaired color vision
E) glaucoma

Question 29

Which one of the following occurs when bright light hits the eye?

A) The muscle arranged circularly around the iris relaxes.
B) The pupil dilates.
C) The photoreceptors no longer respond to the light.
D) The pupil decreases in size.
E) The muscle arranged radially around the iris contracts.

Question 30

The "blind spot" is associated with which one of the following?

A) optic disk
B) vitreous humor
C) choroid
D) fovea centralis
E) lens

Question 31

Which one of the following parts of the eye is affected by cataracts?

A) cornea
B) lens
C) aqueous humor
D) vitreous humor
E) retina

Question 32

Which one of the following conditions results when the transparency of the lens decreases?

A) glaucoma
B) retinal detachment
C) cataracts
D) color blindness
E) astigmatism

Question 33

Color blindness usually results from a decrease in the number of

A) rods
B) optic disks
C) foveae
D) cones
E) ciliary muscles

Question 34

The vitreous humor fills the main chamber of the eye. Which one of the following structures of the eye would vitreous humor come in contact with?

A) sclera
B) cornea
C) iris
D) choroid
E) retina

Question 35

Nearsightedness and farsightedness are caused by the

A) density of the aqueous and vitreous humor
B) length of the eyeball
C) shape of the cornea
D) shape of the lens
E) positioning of the rods and cones

Question 36

The transparent covering of the front of the eye is the

A) cornea
B) lens
C) iris
D) fovea centralis
E) pupil

Question 37

Which one of the following parts of the eye is continuous with the cornea and forms the outer surface of the back of the eye?

A) retina
B) choroid
C) oval window
D) iris
E) sclera

Question 38

The following is a list of structures in the eye through which light passes. Which one of the following answers best describes the order in which light passes through or hits each structure? 1. lens
2) pupil
3) cornea
4) aqueous humor
5) retina

A) 5, 4, 2, 1, 3
B) 3, 4, 2, 1, 5
C) 3, 2, 4, 1, 5
D) 3, 1, 2, 4, 5
E) 3, 4, 5, 2, 1

Question 39

During eye examinations, a test is done to monitor the pressure within the eye. This test is done to detect

A) detachment of the retina
B) glaucoma
C) macular degeneration
D) astigmatism
E) cataracts

Question 40

Each of the following statements about cones is TRUE, EXCEPT which one?

A) Cones enable humans to see color.
B) Color vision is enabled by the presence of three types of cones.
C) Cones are evenly distributed throughout the retina, accounting for visual acuity.
D) Cones require more intense light for activation than rods do.
E) Visual acuity is dependent upon cones and bright light.

Question 41

The human body may stop responding to a stimulus even though the original stimulus is still present; this is a process referred to as receptor adaptation.

Question 42

LASIK surgery involves reshaping the lens to correct for vision problems such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.

Question 43

The figure above is a diagram of an abnormal eye that would result in vision problems. A person with this condition would be considered farsighted and would require convex lenses in order to see objects in the distance.

Question 44

When an individual first gets dressed, he or she is conscious of the clothing on his body. A short time later, however, he or she is no longer aware of it. This is known as ________.

Question 45

The vestibular apparatus located in the middle ear is a system of fluid-filled chambers that is essential to the sense of hearing.

Question 46

Pain receptors and receptors that monitor and maintain homeostasis typically do not adapt.

Question 47

The retina is composed of four layers of cells, which are the pigmented cells, photoreceptor cells, bipolar cells, and the ganglion cells. Axons of the ganglion cells become the optic nerve.

Question 48

Somatic sensations include temperature, touch, vibration, pressure, and pain; these sensations originate from receptors found in certain localized areas of the body.

Question 49

Both eyes have a blind spot, an area where there are no photoreceptors. When an image is focused on the blind spot, it cannot be "seen."

Question 50

Taste hairs contain chemoreceptors that are specific for specific chemicals or tastants.

Question 51

In the United States, more than 500,000 accidents and 6,000 deaths are linked to car crashes involving

A) drivers with impaired corneas
B) teenagers listening to loud music
C) distracted drivers
D) adults with diagnosed eye disease
E) individuals under the age of 20 with damaged otoliths

Question 52

Using the figure above, identify the structures of the eye.

A) retina
B) sclera
C) lens
D) aqueous humor
E) pupil
F) cornea
G) choroid
H) iris
I) vitreous humor
10) Label R represents the ________.
11) Label S represents the ________.
12) Label T represents the ________.
13) Label U represents the ________.
14) Label V represents the ________.
15) Label W represents the ________.
16) Label X represents the ________.
17) Label Y represents the ________.
18) Label Z represents the ________.

Question 53

Pressure in the middle ear is equalized with the external air pressure through the auditory tube.

Question 54

Stronger stimuli activate more receptors and trigger a greater amplitude and speed of action potentials in sensory neurons.

Question 55

Mechanoreceptors include unencapsulated dendritic endings, Merkel disks, Meissner's corpuscles, Pacinian corpuscles, and olfactory receptors.

Question 56

________ neurons transmit information about stimuli, in the form of electrical impulses, to integration centers.

Question 57

The two structures of the eye that focus light are the ________ and ________.

Question 58

Foods that are potentially toxic or inedible are detected by ________ taste receptors.

Question 59

Hyperopia or farsightedness can be corrected with the use of ________ lenses.

Question 60

The ________ regulates the amount of light entering the eye.

Question 61

Vision in dim light is due to the activity of ________ cells.

Question 62

A student is staring directly at a bird outside the classroom window. The image of the bird is focused on the ________ of the retina.

Question 63

A fifth primary taste quality called ________ allows people to taste foods like parmesan cheese, mushrooms, and soy sauce.

Question 64

The ________ ear is the location of the pinna and auditory canal.

Question 65

Hearing loss resulting from damage to the tympanic membrane or the bones of the middle ear is known as ________ deafness.

Question 66

________ pain oftentimes is not even detected until seconds or even minutes after an injury; this is due to the activation of chemically sensitive pain receptors.

Question 67

The structure of the cochlea that converts pressure waves to nerve impulses is the ________; it is composed of hair cells and a tectorial membrane.

Question 68

It is common for people who are traveling in cars or planes to experience an unpleasant sensation known as ________, which is due to conflicting sensory inputs from receptors located in muscles and tendons, the eyes, and the vestibular apparatus.

Question 69

The ________ sorts sounds by tone and converts them into electrical impulses.

Question 70

The passageway that extends from the middle ear to the throat is the ________; this structure equalizes air pressure in the middle ear with atmospheric pressure.

Question 71

Accommodation enabling us to switch from focusing on something nearby to something more distant is accomplished by the ________ muscle.

Question 72

The middle layer of tissue in the back of the eye that consists of pigmented cells and blood vessels is the ________.

Question 73

The two fluid-filled chambers of the vestibule are the ________ and ________.

Question 74

Light causes the pigment rhodopsin to ________, which in turn causes sodium channels on the photoreceptor cell to close.

Question 75

Pain caused by a heart attack in men is often felt in the left shoulder and left arm. This phenomenon is known as ________ pain.

Question 76

The movement of tiny, bonelike crystals called ________, located in the vestibule of the vestibular apparatus, is important in determining the position of the head.

Question 77

Pain, especially intense sensations, is unpleasant and sometimes difficult for a person to cope with. The reality though is that pain detection is essential for human survival. Explain how pain detection is necessary for a person's survival.

Question 78

Receptor adaptation occurs when a sensory neuron stops sending impulses even though the original stimulus is still present. Provide several examples of receptors that adapt readily and others that adapt very slowly if at all. Explain the survival advantage in each of these situations.

Question 79

Deafness in humans can have many causes. One form of deafness is caused by damage to hair cells. Explain how damaged hair cells can result in deafness.