Deck 3: Sensation and Perception

Question 1

Activation of the receptors by stimuli is called ________.

A) perception
B) sensation
C) adaptation
D) habituation

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Receptor cells in the retina responsible for color vision and fine acuity are ________.

A) bipolar cells
B) ganglion cells
C) rods
D) cones

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Which of the following is a characteristic of both light waves and sound waves?

A) hue
B) decibels
C) amplitude
D) wavelength

Answer 3

D

Question 4

The reason that there are three semicircular canals is so that we ________.

A) have one canal to sense motion in each of the three planes
B) can see the world in three dimensions
C) can detect sound locations in the three-dimensional world
D) have an extra if one is broken

Question 5

The term just noticeable difference is synonymous with ________ threshold.

A) separation
B) response
C) difference
D) absolute

Question 6

In the process known as ________, sensory receptors become less sensitive to repeated presentations of the same stimulus.

A) sensation
B) sensory fatigue
C) sensory adaptation
D) discrimination

Question 7

People's tendency to perceive a thing a certain way because their previous experiences or expectations influence them is called ________.

A) top-down processing
B) telepathy
C) bottom-up processing
D) perceptual expectancy
Chapter 3 - Quick Quiz 1

Question 8

Similarity is the tendency to perceive ________.

A) objects, or figures, on some background
B) things that look similar as being part of the same group
C) objects that are close to each other as part of the same grouping
D) things with a continuous pattern rather than with a complex, broken-up pattern

Question 9

The tendency to interpret an object as always being the same physical dimensions, regardless of its distance from the viewer, is known as ________.

A) size constancy
B) shape constancy
C) brightness constancy
D) color constancy

Question 10

The shortest wavelengths that we can see are experienced as ________ colors.

A) red
B) blue
C) green
D) yellow

Question 11

The kinesthetic senses are concerned with ________.

A) touch, pressure, temperature, and pain
B) the location of body parts in relation to each other
C) movement and body position
D) your location as compared to the position of the sun

Question 12

Which part of the eye is a muscle that regulates the size of the pupil?

A) iris
B) lens
C) retina
D) sclera

Question 13

What are the hammer, anvil, and stirrup?

A) tiny bones located in the middle ear
B) types of cones on the retina
C) types of sound that most people can detect
D) words often used by audiologists in testing for hearing difficulties

Question 14

What are the five primary tastes?

A) hot, sour, spicy, sweet, origami
B) salty, sour, spicy, sweet, tart
C) bitter, salty, sour, sweet, umami
D) peppery, salty, sour, sweet, acidic

Question 15

An illusion ________.

A) is the same thing as a vision
B) is due to the action of the rods versus the cones in the retina
C) is a perception that does not correspond to reality
D) corresponds directly to something that you dreamed

Question 16

Which of the following properties of sound is the most similar to the brightness of light?

A) pitch
B) volume
C) purity
D) timbre

Question 17

Texture gradient refers to the fact that texture appears to become ________.

A) more detailed in the distance
B) more detailed as brightness increases
C) less detailed in the distance
D) less detailed when it is brighter

Question 18

The Müller-Lyer illusion exists in cultures in which there are ________.

A) more men than women
B) more women than men
C) lots of telephone poles
D) buildings with lots of corners
Chapter 3 - Quick Quiz 2

Question 19

Where are the taste receptors located?

A) on the papillae
B) on the taste buds
C) on the microvilli
D) in the gustatory bulb

Question 20

Conduction hearing impairment refers to hearing problems that originate in the ________.

A) outer ear
B) inner ear
C) eardrum and middle ear
D) auditory pathways and brain

Question 21

________ are the raw data of experience, based on the activation of certain receptors located in the various sensory organs.

A) Perceptions Incorrect. Perception is the mental process of sorting, identifying, and arranging the raw data of experience into meaningful patterns. Sensations are the raw data of experience.
B) Emotions
C) Cognitions
D) Sensations Correct. Sensations are the raw data of experience based on receptor activation.
TOPIC: The ABCs of Sensation

Question 22

Sensory receptors are specialized forms of what kind of cell in the nervous system?

A) ganglion cells Incorrect. Ganglion cells are connector neurons that come into play later in the process. They take information from receptors and related cells and then send it on for more processing. Receptors respond directly to stimuli.
B) myelin
C) glial cells
D) neurons Correct. Sensory receptors are specialized forms of neurons.
TOPIC: The ABCs of Sensation

Question 23

Suppose Maria is painting while the sun is setting; once she notices that the room is getting darker, she decides to call it quits for the day. This example illustrates the role of a(n)________.

A) threshold
B) just-noticeable difference Correct. This example demonstrates a just noticeable difference, because Maria identifies that the room is gone sufficiently dark to necessitate quitting work.
C) absolute threshold Incorrect. The absolute threshold is the minimum amount of information that must be received in order to be detected 50% of the time. This example demonstrates a just noticeable difference.
D) bias TOPIC: The ABCs of Sensation

Question 24

Ernst Weber provided a formulation that is used to determine the ________.

A) largest detectable stimulus
B) smallest detectable stimulus Incorrect. Weber did not focus on the absolute threshold, but is known instead for his work on the just noticeable difference (jnd).
C) largest detectable difference between two stimuli
D) change in smallest detectable difference between two stimuli Correct. Weber provided a formulation that is used to predict the smallest detectable difference between two stimuli.
TOPIC: The ABCs of Sensation

Question 25

The principle that the just noticeable difference of any given sense is a constant fraction or proportion of the stimulus being judged is called ________.

A) the opponent-process principle Incorrect. The opponent-process principle refers to a concept regarding color vision.
B) the doctrine of specific nerve energies
C) the phi phenomenon
D) Weber's law Correct. Weber's law describes how change detection is based on a proportion of the stimulus intensity.
TOPIC: The ABCs of Sensation

Question 26

Activation of the receptors by stimuli is called ________.

A) perception Incorrect. Perception is the mental process of sorting, identifying, and arranging the raw data of experience into meaningful patterns. Sensation is the activation of the receptors.
B) sensation Correct. Sensation is the activation of the receptors by stimuli.
C) adaptation
D) habituation TOPIC: The ABCs of Sensation

Question 27

We can see a candle flame at 30 miles on a clear, dark night, and we can hear the tick of a watch 20 feet away in a quiet room. These two facts are examples of ________.

A) jnds
B) difference thresholds Incorrect. Difference threshold has to do with the detection of changes, not the lowest detectable stimulus level.
C) adaptation
D) absolute thresholds Correct. These are absolute thresholds, as they are at the lower limits of our detection.
TOPIC: The ABCs of Sensation

Question 28

The term just noticeable difference is synonymous with ________ threshold.

A) separation
B) response Incorrect. Response threshold is not a term used in the text. The term difference threshold is the correct synonym.
C) difference Correct. The term just noticeable difference is synonymous with difference threshold and refers to the detection of change.
D) absolute TOPIC: The ABCs of Sensation

Question 29

The lowest level of stimulation that a person can consciously detect 50 percent of the time the stimulation is present is called the ________ threshold.

A) absolute Correct. The point at which a person can detect a stimulus 50 percent of the time it is presented is called the absolute threshold.
B) range
C) difference Incorrect. The difference threshold is the smallest difference between two stimuli that a person can detect 50 percent of the time it is presented.
D) noticeable TOPIC: The ABCs of Sensation

Question 30

The smallest amount of a particular stimulus required to produce any sensation at all in the person to whom the stimulus is presented is the ________ threshold.

A) absolute Correct. The smallest amount of a particular stimulus required to produce any sensation at all in a person is the absolute threshold. Below that level, the stimulus cannot be detected reliably.
B) minimum Incorrect. The smallest amount of a stimulus required to produce any sensation at all in a person is the absolute threshold. The term minimum would seem to be correct, but it is not used.
C) difference
D) noticeable TOPIC: The ABCs of Sensation

Question 31

The average threshold for human vision is a candle flame seen from ________ on a dark, clear night.

A) 1 mile
B) 15 miles Incorrect. The average threshold for human vision is a candle flame seen from 30 miles.
C) 7.5 miles
D) 30 miles Correct. The average threshold for human vision is a candle flame seen from 30 miles.
TOPIC: The ABCs of Sensation

Question 32

When Ann went to her doctor, he gave her a hearing test. During the test, the doctor presented tones to Ann through earphones. The tones started at a low intensity and then became louder. The doctor asked Ann to raise her hand whenever she started to hear a sound. The doctor was testing Ann's ________.

A) auditory convergence
B) absolute threshold Correct. The doctor was testing Ann's absolute threshold or the softest sound she could detect.
C) refractory threshold
D) difference threshold Incorrect. The doctor was testing Ann's absolute threshold, not her ability to detect a difference or change.
TOPIC: The ABCs of Sensation

Question 33

The difference threshold is the degree of change that is required in order for a person to detect a change ________ percent of the time.

A) 25
B) 75 Incorrect. The difference threshold is defined as the degree of change in a stimulus level that is required in order for a person to detect it 50 percent of the time.
C) 50 Correct. The difference threshold is defined as the degree of change in a stimulus level that is required in order for a person to detect it 50 percent of the time.
D) 100 TOPIC: The ABCs of Sensation

Question 34

The minimal stimulus necessary for detection is called the ________, while the smallest noticeable change in a stimulus is referred to as ________.

A) absolute threshold; difference threshold Correct. The lowest stimulus intensity required for detection is the absolute threshold, and the smallest noticeable difference between a standard stimulus intensity and another stimulus value is the difference threshold.
B) base value; just noticeable difference (jnd)
C) response criterion; sensory constant
D) difference threshold; absolute threshold Incorrect. The lowest stimulus intensity required for detection is the absolute threshold, whereas the smallest noticeable difference between a standard stimulus intensity and another stimulus value is the difference threshold.
TOPIC: The ABCs of Sensation

Question 35

The process by which outside stimuli, in their various forms of energy, are converted into neural signals is called ________.

A) sublimation
B) transduction Correct. Transduction is the process by which external stimuli are converted into neural signals.
C) perception
D) sensation Incorrect. Sensation is the activation of sensory receptors by external stimuli
TOPIC: The ABCs of Sensation

Question 36

When Ann went to her doctor, he gave her a hearing test. During the test, the doctor presented tones to Ann through earphones. The tones started at a low intensity and then became louder. After Ann could hear the sound, the doctor asked Ann to raise her hand whenever she heard the sound increase in volume. The doctor was testing Ann's ________.

A) auditory convergence
B) absolute threshold Incorrect. The doctor was testing Ann's difference threshold or the moment when she could detect a stimulus change.
C) refractory threshold
D) difference threshold Correct. The doctor was testing Ann's difference threshold or the moment when she could detect a stimulus change.
TOPIC: The ABCs of Sensation

Question 37

The average threshold for human hearing is the tick of a watch from ________ feet away under very quiet conditions.

A) 20 Correct. The average threshold for human hearing is the tick of a watch from 20 feet under very quiet conditions.
B) 60
C) 40
D) 80 Incorrect. The average threshold for human hearing is the tick of a watch from 20 feet under very quiet conditions.
TOPIC: The ABCs of Sensation

Question 38

Sensation is to perception as ________ is to ________.

A) stimulation; interpretation Correct. The stimulation of our sensory receptors by energy from the world around us is sensation. The process by which that energy is interpreted into recognized patterns is perception.
B) awareness; interpretation
C) interpretation; awareness Incorrect. In a general sense, this is the opposite of the correct answer.
D) organization; interpretation TOPIC: The ABCs of Sensation

Question 39

The lowest intensity of a particular stimulus that enables the average person to detect that stimulus 50 percent of the time it is presented is called the ________.

A) absolute threshold Correct. The absolute threshold is the lowest intensity of a particular stimulus that enables the average person to consciously detect that stimulus 50 percent of the time it is presented.
B) difference threshold
C) just noticeable difference
D) psychophysical threshold Incorrect. There is no such term as psychophysical threshold.
TOPIC: The ABCs of Sensation

Question 40

Cells that are triggered by light, vibrations, sounds, touch, or chemical substances are called ________.

A) ganglion cells Incorrect. Ganglion cells are connector neurons that come into play later in the process. They take information from receptors and related cells and then send it on for more processing. Receptors respond directly to stimuli.
B) bipolar cells
C) ossicles
D) sensory receptors Correct. Cells that are triggered by light, vibrations, sounds, touch, or chemical substances are called sensory receptors; examples are rods, cones, and hair cells.
TOPIC: The ABCs of Sensation

Question 41

One problem with Vicary's study of subliminal perception is that it ________.

A) demonstrated the validity of the concept of subliminal perception Incorrect. Vicary's study never happened, and subliminal perception has not been shown to be useful.
B) did not prove that people actually bought more colas and popcorn for several months after seeing the movie
C) showed that subliminal stimuli had only very small effects on consumer patterns
D) never happened Correct. As it turned out, Vicary's study never actually happened, and other researchers were unable to duplicate the results Vicary claimed he got.
TOPIC: The ABCs of Sensation

Question 42

What color would you report seeing if a researcher projected the longest wavelength in the visible spectrum onto a screen?

A) red Correct. The human eye sees the longest wavelengths as the color red.
B) blue Incorrect. The human eye sees the shortest wavelengths as the color blue. The longest wavelengths appear red.
C) yellow
D) violet TOPIC: The Science of Seeing

Question 43

Which pairing of name and property of light is correct?

A) Helmholtz; particle nature (photon) Incorrect. At Helmholtz's time, the true dual nature of light (waves and particle) was not yet understood.
B) Holstein; wave nature
C) Newton; wave nature
D) Einstein; wave packet (photon) Correct. Einstein's work was central to our understanding of the dual nature of light.
TOPIC: The Science of Seeing

Question 44

In the process known as ________, the brain stops attending to constant, unchanging stimuli from one's surroundings.

A) habituation Correct. When the brain begins to disregard a constant stimulus, habituation is occurring.
B) sensory fatigue
C) sensory adaptation Incorrect. Sensory adaptation is the process whereby receptors become less responsive to an unchanging stimulus.
D) discrimination TOPIC: The ABCs of Sensation

Question 45

Microsaccades are ________.

A) tiny vibrations of the eye that prevent images from fading Correct. Microsaccades are the tiny vibrations of the eye that prevent images from fading by avoiding image stabilization.
B) the tiny bones in the ear that transmit sound waves to the cochlea Incorrect. The tiny bones in the ear are called the hammer, anvil, and stirrup.
C) the photoreceptors in the eye responsible for night vision
D) pain receptors in the limbs TOPIC: The ABCs of Sensation

Question 46

Our eyes don't adapt completely to a repeated visual stimulus because ________.

A) tiny little vibrations called microsaccades keep the eyes from adapting to what they see Correct. Microsaccades cause constant movement of the eyes that people don't consciously notice.
B) the optic chiasm enables fibers to carry messages to all parts of the brain
C) ganglion cells fire continuously Incorrect. The fact that ganglion cells fire continuously does not explain why our eyes do not adapt completely to a repeated visual stimulus.
D) visual acuity is greatest in the fovea TOPIC: The ABCs of Sensation

Question 47

In the process known as ________, sensory receptors become less sensitive to repeated presentations of the same stimulus.

A) sensation
B) sensory fatigue Incorrect. There is no such term as sensory fatigue.
C) sensory adaptation Correct. Sensory adaptation is the process whereby receptors become less responsive to an unchanging stimulus.
D) discrimination TOPIC: The ABCs of Sensation

Question 48

When you first put your hat on, you can feel it quite easily, but after a while, you forget that you are wearing a hat at all-the sensation is gone. What happens?

A) sensory fatigue Incorrect. Sensory fatigue is not the proper term, though it sounds like it could be correct.
B) subliminal perception
C) habituation Correct. Habituation is the process by which the lower centers of the brain sort through sensory stimulation and "ignore," or prevent conscious attention to, stimuli that do not change.
D) perceptual defense TOPIC: The ABCs of Sensation

Question 49

Light is said to have a dual nature, meaning it can be thought of in two different ways. These two ways are ________.

A) particles and photons Incorrect. Light comes in indivisible particles called photons but does demonstrate the properties of waves. Because particles and photons mean the same thing in this answer, they do not indicate a dual nature.
B) waves and frequencies
C) waves and particles Correct. Light comes in individual particles called photons but does demonstrate the properties of waves.
D) dark light and daylight TOPIC: The Science of Seeing

Question 50

A method for assessing the accuracy of judgments or decisions under uncertain conditions is called ________ theory. This method assesses a person's "hits" and "rejections" are compared to their "misses" and "false alarms."

A) neural appraisal
B) transductive Incorrect. Transduction is the process by which stimuli are converted into neural signals.
C) signal detection Correct. Signal detection theory is this process, and it is used in many different domains.
D) psychophysics TOPIC: The ABCs of Sensation

Question 51

The longest wavelengths we can see are experienced as ________ colors.

A) red Correct. Red has the longest wavelength of light that we can perceive.
B) blue-violet
C) green
D) yellow Incorrect. Wavelengths that appear yellow occur toward the middle of the visible spectrum.
TOPIC: The Science of Seeing

Question 52

Because of what you have learned about sensory adaptation, you might think that if you stared at a picture for a long period of time, the image you see would eventually fade. This would be the case if not for the tiny vibrations of your eye called ________.

A) glissades Incorrect. Glissades are slow, tracking eye movements.
B) microsaccades Correct. Microsaccades are the tiny vibrations of the eye that prevent images from fading by avoiding image stabilization.
C) habituation movements
D) light wave responses TOPIC: The ABCs of Sensation

Question 53

The visible spectrum refers to the ________.

A) portion of the whole spectrum of light that is visible to the human eye Correct. The visible spectrum refers to the portion of the whole spectrum of light that is visible to the human eye. Wavelengths outside the visible spectrum of approximately 400 to 700 nanometers are not visible to humans.
B) effect of intensity on how we see dark to grey to white
C) effect of the sound density on the perceptions of those with synesthesia
D) well-known fact that colors are less visible to some men's eyes Incorrect. The visible spectrum refers to the portion of the whole spectrum of light that is visible to the human eye.
TOPIC: The Science of Seeing

Question 54

Some people believe that ________ are messages that can be sent to consumers, prompting them to buy a product without their being aware of receiving such messages.

A) selective perceptions
B) subliminal stimuli Correct. Subliminal stimuli are believed to operate at an unconscious level, meaning that people would be unaware of having perceived them.
C) inductive perceptions
D) below threshold perceptions Incorrect. Below threshold perceptions would refer to stimuli that are too weak to be perceived, not necessarily to
Those that are perceived on an unconscious level.
TOPIC: The ABCs of Sensation

Question 55

Erin has learned to create a "truly red" light by focusing on only one wavelength of the visible spectrum. In which property of light would Erin be most interested?

A) intensity Incorrect. Intensity determines how bright the light will seem. Saturation, also known as purity, is the correct property of light. A single wavelength usually looks highly saturated.
B) decibels
C) accommodation
D) saturation Correct. Saturation, also known as purity, is the correct property of light. A single wavelength usually looks highly saturated.
TOPIC: The Science of Seeing

Question 56

The term photon refers to ________.

A) a tiny packet of light waves Correct. Tiny packets of light waves are called photons.
B) a torpedo used by the USS Enterprise
C) the smallest unit of sound
D) the property of light that gives us the perception of color Incorrect. The smallest possible unit of light is known as a photon.
TOPIC: The Science of Seeing

Question 57

The process by which unchanging information from the senses of taste, touch, smell, and vision is "ignored" by the sensory receptor cells themselves is called ________.

A) transformation
B) sensory adaptation Correct. The process by which unchanging information from the senses of taste, touch, smell, and vision is "ignored" by the sensory receptors is called adaptation, and it prevents us from being bombarded by constant sensations.
C) transmutation Incorrect. Transmutation is the process of turning one object or element into another and is not relevant to the sensory process described.
D) transduction TOPIC: The ABCs of Sensation

Question 58

The shortest wavelengths that we can see are experienced as ________ colors.

A) red Incorrect. Red is associated with the longest wavelengths, not the shortest.
B) blue Correct. Blue has the shortest wavelength.
C) green
D) yellow TOPIC: The Science of Seeing

Question 59

The aspect of color that corresponds to names such as red, green, and blue is ________.

A) brightness Incorrect. Brightness refers to our perception of light's intensity. The aspect of color that corresponds to names such as red, green, and blue is hue.
B) saturation
C) hue Correct. Hue refers to the names we give to various colors.
D) fine detail TOPIC: The Science of Seeing

Question 60

LaVerne goes to a movie theater to watch her favorite movie. About halfway through the movie she becomes aware of an overpowering hunger for popcorn. What she doesn't realize is that throughout the first part of the movie, a message saying "Eat Popcorn!" was repeatedly flashed on the screen at a speed too fast for her to be consciously aware of it. If her desire for popcorn is due to that message, she is responding to ________.

A) selective perception Incorrect. Selective perception would refer to a choice between above threshold stimuli.
B) subliminal perception Correct. She is responding to subliminal perception, which is not consciously detected.
C) cognitive restructuring
D) stroboscopic perception TOPIC: The ABCs of Sensation

Question 61

The pupil is the ________.

A) opening in the center of the iris Correct. The pupil is the opening in the center of the iris and controls the amount of light entering the eye.
B) white of the eye
C) colored part of the eye Incorrect. The iris is the colored part of the eye that controls pupil size. The pupil is the opening in the center of the iris.
D) lining in the back of the eyeball TOPIC: The Science of Seeing

Question 62

Which condition is an age-related decline in the ability of the lens to accommodate to different distances of visual stimuli?

A) Presbyopia Correct. This condition, which literally means "old eyes," is considered a normal age-related decline in vision.
B) Cataract
C) Glaucoma Incorrect. This condition involves an increase in pressure within the eye.
D) Retinitis pigmentosa TOPIC: The Science of Seeing

Question 63

Axons from ganglion cells form the ________.

A) fovea
B) optic nerve Correct. Bundles of axons from ganglion cells make up the optic nerve.
C) optic schism Incorrect. Optic schism is not a real term.
D) rods and cones TOPIC: The Science of Seeing

Question 64

The fovea is made up of ________.

A) all rods and no cones
B) mostly cones with some rods Incorrect. The fovea is made up of all cones and no rods.
C) mostly rods with some cones
D) all cones and no rods Correct. The fovea is made up of all cones and no rods.
TOPIC: The Science of Seeing

Question 65

It is difficult to distinguish between colors at night because ________.

A) we are seeing primarily with the cones
B) rods do not adapt to the dark
C) we are seeing primarily with the rods Correct. It is difficult to distinguish between colors at night because we are seeing primarily with the rods, and rods are not involved in color processing.
D) we are used to seeing mostly with the fovea Incorrect. The fovea is full of cones, which do not function at night or at low light levels.
TOPIC: The Science of Seeing

Question 66

Receptor cells in the retina responsible for color vision and fine acuity are ________.

A) bipolar cells
B) ganglion cells
C) rods Incorrect. Rods are for night vision and have poor acuity. Receptor cells in the retina responsible for color vision are cones.
D) cones Correct. Receptor cells in the retina responsible for color vision are cones.
TOPIC: The Science of Seeing

Question 67

Light is focused on the retina by the ________.

A) pupil Incorrect. The pupil controls the amount of light entering the eye. Light is focused on the retina by the lens.
B) ganglion cells
C) lens Correct. Light is focused on the retina by the lens.
D) iris TOPIC: The Science of Seeing

Question 68

Which component of the eye contains the visual receptors?

A) sclera
B) retina Correct. The retina contains the visual receptors called rods and cones.
C) cornea
D) posterior chamber Incorrect. The posterior chamber is a hollow space in the back of the eye. The retina contains the visual receptors.
TOPIC: The Science of Seeing

Question 69

When light waves enter the eye, they first pass through the ________.

A) iris
B) lens Incorrect. The lens is transparent but is located inside the eye. The cornea is the outer covering.
C) pupil
D) cornea Correct. When light waves enter the eye, they first pass through the cornea.
TOPIC: The Science of Seeing

Question 70

Which of the following is TRUE about cones?

A) They are responsible for black and white vision.
B) They are found mainly in the center of the eye. Correct. Cones are found mainly in the center of the eye.
C) They operate mainly at night.
D) They respond only to black and white. Incorrect. Cones are responsible for color.
TOPIC: The Science of Seeing

Question 71

The place in the retina where the axons of all the ganglion cells come together to leave the eye is called the ________.

A) fovea
B) blind spot Correct. The blind spot is the place where the ganglion cell axons come together and where there are no receptors for sight.
C) optic chiasm Incorrect. The optic chiasm is the junction between the optic nerves from both eyes. The blind spot is the place where the axons come together to leave the eye.
D) optic nerve TOPIC: The Science of Seeing

Question 72

When we describe someone's eyes as blue, technically we are referring to his or her blue ________.

A) pupils Incorrect. The pupil is the hole formed by the iris.
B) irises Correct. The iris is the colored part of the eye.
C) corneas
D) scleras TOPIC: The Science of Seeing

Question 73

What is the pupil of the eye?

A) It is the white part of the eye.
B) It is the colored part of the eye. Incorrect. The colored part of the eye is the iris.
C) It is the location of the visual receptors.
D) It is the small opening in the center of the eye. Correct. The pupil is the small opening in the center of the eye.
TOPIC: The Science of Seeing

Question 74

Which of the following phenomena is a function of the distribution of the rods and cones in the retina?

A) The moon looks much larger near the horizon than it looks when it is higher in the sky.
B) The light from distant stars moving rapidly away from us shifts toward the red end of the spectrum.
C) Stars can be seen during the daytime but only with difficulty. Incorrect. A dim star may disappear when you look directly at it, but reappear when you look to one side of it as it falls on the rods.
D) A dim star viewed at night may disappear when you look directly at it, but reappear when you look to one side of it. Correct. Cones are at the center of the retina and do not function well at night, but rods, located on the periphery of the retina, see well in dim light.
TOPIC: The Science of Seeing

Question 75

The clear, transparent protective coating over the front part of the eye is the ________.

A) fovea
B) sclera
C) cornea Correct. The clear, transparent protective coating over the front part of the eye is the cornea. It focuses most of the light entering the eye.
D) iris Incorrect. The iris is the colored part of the eye that controls the opening of the pupil. The clear, transparent protective coating over the front part of the eye is the cornea.
TOPIC: The Science of Seeing

Question 76

Which of the following procedures removes small portions of one's cornea in order to help change the cornea's curvature and re-establish clearer vision?

A) laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis Correct. This procedure, called LASIK, has helped many people reduce their need for corrective lenses.
B) involved iridectomy
C) penetrating keratoplasty Incorrect. This is a term for a corneal transplant, which is more involved than LASIK.
D) retinitis pigmentosa TOPIC: The Science of Seeing

Question 77

The change in the shape of the lens in order to focus on a visual image is known as ________.

A) fixation
B) divergence
C) convergence Incorrect. Convergence is what occurs when the two eyes move in concert to coordinate the image location of the fovea of each eye.
D) visual accommodation Correct. Accommodation is the change in the shape of the lens to focus and bend the light, which is more or less based on target distance.
TOPIC: The Science of Seeing

Question 78

Which of the following sequences correctly indicates the pathway of nerve impulses on their way from the eye to the brain?

A) ganglion cells, bipolar cells, photoreceptor cells, optic nerve
B) bipolar cells, receptor cells, ganglion cells, optic nerve
C) photoreceptor cells, bipolar cells, ganglion cells, optic nerve Correct. The correct sequence is photoreceptor cells, bipolar cells, ganglion cells, optic nerve. The ganglion cells get information from the bipolar cells, and their axons form the optic nerve.
D) photoreceptor cells, bipolar cells, optic nerve, ganglion cells Incorrect. The correct sequence is receptor cells, bipolar cells, ganglion cells, optic nerve.
TOPIC: The Science of Seeing

Question 79

Each retina of the eye has about ________ million rods.

A) 1 Incorrect. Each retina of the eye has about 120 million rods and cones.
B) 75
C) 25
D) 100 Correct. Each retina of the eye has about 120 million rods.
TOPIC: The Science of Seeing

Question 80

Which part of the eye is a muscle that regulates the size of the pupil?

A) iris Correct. The iris is a muscle that controls pupil size.
B) lens Incorrect. The lens changes shape in order to focus on near or far objects. The iris controls the pupil size, thereby allowing varying amounts of light to enter.
C) retina
D) sclera TOPIC: The Science of Seeing