1.

Humans are unable to see the _______ region of the electromagnetic radiation
spectrum.
A) infrared
B) orange
C) green
D) violet
E) None of the above; humans can see all of these regions.

2. The advantage of communicating by means of extremely low-frequency sound

waves is that
A) it permits coordination of attacks on prey.
B) these waves travel a very long distance.
C) the echoes of these waves bouncing back help locate prey.
D) the echoes of these waves bouncing back help in navigation.
E) All of the above

3. Which anatomical adaptation allows bats to hear the echoes of their high-pitched
sound pulses?
A) A pit organ in front of their eyes
B) Fatty deposits surrounding their jaw
C) Small muscles that adjust their hearing sensitivity
D) Membranes of their wings that vibrate in response to the echoes
E) None of the above

4. In general, _______ are cells of the nervous system that transduce physical or
chemical stimuli into signals that are transmitted to other parts of the nervous
system for processing and interpretation.
A) sensory cells
B) effectors
C) glial cells of the blood–brain barrier
D) nuclei within the midbrain
E) None of the above

5. Which of the following statements regarding the stimulation of receptor proteins

within plasma membranes is true?
A) The receptor proteins of mechanoreceptors and thermoreceptors are themselves the
ion channels.
B) The receptor proteins of chemoreceptors and photoreceptors initiate biochemical
cascades that eventually open and close ion channels.
C) Receptor proteins are integral to the sensory process.
D) Both a and b
E) All of the above

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 6. Sensory cells transduce physical or chemical stimuli
A) from one form to another.
B) into a change of membrane potential.
C) from an action potential into a synaptic signal.
D) by summing incoming action potentials.
E) into different forms to be sent to the brain.

7. Which of the following likely have no receptor protein associated with them?
A) Electrosensors
B) Mechanoreceptors
C) Thermoreceptors
D) Chemoreceptors
E) Photoreceptors

8. Receptor potentials produce action potentials in two ways: by generating action

potentials within the sensory cells, or by causing the release of _______, which
induces an associated neuron to generate action potentials.
A) a hormone
B) ATP
C) interleukin
D) a neurotransmitter
E) glucagon

9. Which of the following are ionotropic sensory receptors?

A) Mechanoreceptors
B) Thermoreceptors
C) Electroreceptors
D) Both a and b
E) All of the above

10. Which of the following are not metabotropic sensory receptors?

A) Chemoreceptors
B) Photoreceptors
C) Thermoreceptors
D) All of the above are metabotropic sensory receptors.
E) None of the above are metabotropic sensory receptors.

11. If you brush against a doorway as you enter a room, you will trigger
A) an ionotropic sensory receptor.

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B) the opening of a pressure-sensitive cation channel.
C) a metabotropic sensory receptor.
D) a second messenger system.
E) Both a and b

12. The sound of the alarm clock in the morning triggers _______ in the sleeper.
A) an ionotropic sensory receptor
B) the opening of a pressure-sensitive cation channel
C) a metabotropic sensory receptor
D) a second messenger system
E) Both a and b

13. The warmth of the sun on one's face triggers

A) an ionotropic sensory receptor.
B) the opening of a cation channel.
C) a metabotropic sensory receptor.
D) a second messenger system.
E) Both a and b

14. Which of the following statements about a sensory cell is false?

A) It is specialized for detecting specific kinds of stimuli.
B) It transduces energy into action potentials.
C) It generates receptor potentials, which travel long distances.
D) It can generate action potentials.
E) It can become insensitive to a source of continuous stimulation.

15. Which of the following are metabotropic sensory receptors?

A) Chemoreceptors
B) Photoreceptors
C) Thermoreceptors
D) Both a and b
E) All of the above

16. Which of the following are not ionotropic sensory receptors?

A) Mechanoreceptors
B) Thermoreceptors
C) Chemoreceptors
D) Electroreceptors
E) All of the above are ionotropic sensory receptors.

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 17. The smell of baking bread triggers
A) an ionotropic sensory receptor.
B) the opening of a cation channel.
C) a metabotropic sensory receptor.
D) a second messenger system.
E) Both c and d

18. Bright light shining directly into one's eye will trigger
A) an ionotropic sensory receptor.
B) the opening of a cation channel.
C) a metabotropic sensory receptor.
D) a second messenger system.
E) Both c and d

19. Which of the following statements about receptor potentials is false?

A) They can cause the release of a neurotransmitter.
B) They can cause an action potential.
C) They are a change in membrane potential of the sensory cell.
D) They can spread over long distances.
E) They can be amplified.

20. The magnitude of a receptor potential

A) depends on the strength of the incoming action potential.
B) remains high even after a long period of stimulation.
C) is the same no matter what the type of stimulus.
D) depends on the amount of neurotransmitter released.
E) affects the frequency of resulting action potentials.

21. Which of the following represents the correct order of the flow of information in
a stretch receptor that generates an action potential?
A) Stimulus, ion channel, action potential, receptor protein, neurotransmitter release
B) Stimulus, neurotransmitter release, action potential, ion channel, receptor protein
C) Stimulus, receptor protein, ion channel, action potential, neurotransmitter release
D) Stimulus, action potential, neurotransmitter release, receptor protein, ion channel
E) Stimulus, receptor protein, action potential, neurotransmitter release, ion channel

22. Which of the following behaviors results from the adaptation of sensory cells?
A) Going into a deep sleep
B) Discriminating different colors
C) Ignoring your shoes as you walk
D) Detecting high-pitched notes

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E) Detecting sound and light simultaneously

23. Which of the following statements about sensory cells is false?

A) Most sensory cells are modified neurons.
B) Sensory cells can respond equally to all types of stimuli.
C) Changes in stimulus strength lead to changes in a sensory cell's receptor potential.
D) Sensory cells display a phenomenon called adaptation.
E) Some are assembled with other cell types that enhance the sensory cells' ability to
collect, filter, and amplify stimuli.

24. Chemoreceptors
A) are possessed by all animals.
B) can cause strong behavioral responses.
C) do not undergo adaptation.
D) Both a and b
E) All of the above

25. Which of the following are not mechanoreceptors?

A) Stretch receptors
B) Hair cells
C) Pressure receptors
D) Olfactory receptors
E) Airflow receptors

26. One of the best-studied examples of chemosensory receptors is Bombyx mori, a

member of the _______ group.
A) cephalopod
B) arthropod
C) chordate
D) ctenophore
E) annelid

27. What percentage of the mouse genome codes for olfactory receptor proteins?
A) 0.02%
B) 1%
C) 0.3%
D) 3%
E) 14%

28. Approximately how many genes code for olfactory receptor proteins in mice?

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A) 14
B) 120
C) 1,000
D) 10,000
E) An unknown number; this question has never been studied.

29. As a male silkworm moth nears a female that is releasing bombykol,

A) the female starts to release more bombykol.
B) the action potentials in the antennal nerve increase.
C) many bombykol-sensitive hairs are stimulated per second.
D) a larger number of the bombykol-sensitive hairs undergo adaptation.
E) the receptor potential in bombykol-sensitive hairs is reduced.

30. Pheromones are chemical signals that can signal from _______ to _______.
A) one neuron; another
B) the peripheral nervous; the central nervous system
C) prey; predator
D) parasite; host
E) female; male within a species

31. The chemosensory hairs with which male moths detect a female's pheromones
are located
A) near the mouthparts.
B) at the base of the wings.
C) on the tip of the proboscis.
D) on the antennae.
E) on the feet.

32. A male silkworm moth locates a female at a distance by

A) flying toward a chemical signal.
B) flying toward a sound signal.
C) flying toward anything shaped like a female moth.
D) emitting a sound as the female approaches.
E) emitting a chemical as the female approaches.

33. Compared to humans, dogs have a much more acute sense of smell due to the
A) larger amount of mucus in their noses.
B) larger surface area of their nasal epithelia.
C) greater density of their olfactory nerve endings.
D) larger number of capillaries in their noses.
E) typical canine body temperature.

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 34. Which of the following events is triggered by the binding of an odorant molecule
to a receptor protein?
A) Opening of sodium channels
B) Increase of second messenger in cytoplasm of sensory cell
C) Activation of G protein
D) Depolarization of sensory cell
E) All of the above

35. When a female sable antelope smells the urine of another female, a sample of
nasal fluid is drawn over chemoreceptors of the _______, which is a structure
located on the septum dividing the two nostrils.
A) gustatory nucleus
B) fovea
C) vomeronasal organ
D) organ of Corti
E) loop of Henle

36. The greatest intensity of perceived smell comes from the

A) enzyme that binds with the most odorant molecules.
B) odorant that binds to the most receptors.
C) greatest variety of odorant molecules.
D) greatest threshold of depolarization.
E) greatest number of odorant molecules entering the cell.

37. Which of the following statements about gustation is false?

A) Taste receptors may be either ionotropic or metabotropic.
B) All stimulated taste sensory neurons respond by generating an action potential.
C) Microvilli increase the surface area of taste sensory cells.
D) Individual taste buds are replaced every few months.
E) Taste sensory cells form synapses with dendrites of sensory neurons.

38. Action potentials are generated in a mechanoreceptor when

A) ion channels close in response to membrane distortion.
B) ion channels open in response to membrane distortion.
C) receptors bind chemicals in response to pressure.
D) sensitivity of the membrane to neurotransmitters increases.
E) signals from other mechanoreceptors are summated.

39. Which of the following statements about mechano-receptors is false?

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A) Mechanoreceptors transduce mechanical forces into changes in receptor potential.
B) If a mechanoreceptor is subject to increased distortion, more ion channels within its
membrane open.
C) Most mechanoreceptors are metabotropic sensory receptors.
D) If the receptor potential of a mechanoreceptor rises above a threshold, an action
potential is propagated.
E) Stimulus strength determines the rate of generated action potentials.

40. Meissner's corpuscles

A) adapt very slowly.
B) are present uniformly on skin surfaces.
C) sense pressure.
D) have concentric layers of connective tissue.
E) sense light touch.

41. Which of the following most accurately describes the Pacinian corpuscle?
A) It adapts slowly and provides information about vibrating stimuli of low frequency.
B) It responds to extended, steady pressure.
C) It adapts rapidly and provides information about vibrating stimuli of high
frequency.
D) It has long, extensive dendritic processes.
E) It is extremely sensitive to light touch.

42. Which of the following receptors are located deep in the skin and are adapted
specifically for sensing pressure?
A) Meissner's corpuscles
B) Pacinian corpuscles
C) Expanded-tip tactile receptors
D) Neuron-wrapped hair follicles
E) Bare nerve endings

43. The Golgi tendon organ

A) causes muscles to relax and protects against tearing.
B) senses light touch.
C) increases muscle contraction.
D) is found in high densities on lips and fingertips.
E) provides steady-state information about pressure.

44. The auditory function of the middle ear is to convert _______ pressure waves
into _______.
A) air; fluid pressure waves

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B) fluid; air pressure waves
C) air; nerve impulses
D) fluid; nerve impulses
E) air; hair cell movements

45. Hair cells are associated with all of the following sensory systems except the
A) Golgi tendon organ.
B) lateral line.
C) cochlea.
D) vestibular apparatus.
E) semicircular canals.

46. Hair cells in the ear that give auditory information are concentrated in the
A) oval window.
B) tympanic membrane.
C) organ of Corti.
D) semicircular canals.
E) vestibular apparatus.

47. Which of the following structures of the mammalian auditory system is

responsible for transmitting signals between flexible membranes?
A) Organ of Corti
B) Ear ossicles
C) Oval window
D) Cochlea
E) Round window

48. Which of the following statements about the auditory functioning of the cochlea
is false?
A) The flexing of the round window follows the flexing of the oval window in a
delayed fashion.
B) The hair cells on the organ of Corti move against the rigid tectorial membrane.
C) The intensity of the sound determines how many hair cells will be stimulated.
D) The frequency of the sound determines which hair cells will be stimulated.
E) Lower frequency sounds result in the stimulation of hair cells closer to the round
window.

49. Which of the following structures of the mammalian auditory system is involved
in transduction of pressure changes into action potentials?
A) Tympanic membrane
B) Ear ossicles

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C) Oval window
D) Organ of Corti
E) Basilar membrane

50. What is the physiological basis for the auditory system's ability to distinguish
different sound frequencies?
A) The three bones of the middle ear respond differentially.
B) The loops of the semicircular canals respond differentially.
C) The oval window and round window respond differentially.
D) Different sections of the basilar membrane respond differentially.
E) Individual hair cells have different peak frequency responses.

51. When the stereocilia of hair cells are bent, the membranes of the hair cells
A) are depolarized.
B) are hyperpolarized.
C) are either depolarized or hyperpolarized.
D) generate action potentials.
E) contract their stereocilia.

52. Conduction deafness is caused by loss of function of

A) the inner ear.
B) the eustachian tube.
C) the tympanic membrane and the middle ear ossicles.
D) hair cells in the organ of Corti.
E) the cochlea.

53. Which of the following sensory structures provides mammals with information
about the position and orientation of the head?
A) Eustachian tube
B) Cochlea
C) Semicircular canal
D) Lateral line
E) Tympanic membrane

54. Stereocilia in hair cells in the canals of the fish lateral line
A) respond to disturbances in the water around the fish.
B) are moved individually by pressure.
C) are immobilized within a cupula.
D) bend only after electrical stimulation.
E) bend under the influence of gravity.

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 55. Which of the following statements about the lateral line system is true?
A) The cupulae of the lateral line system each contain several hair cells.
B) The lateral line system allows the fish to sense the presence of other fish.
C) The lateral line system responds to pressure waves in the surrounding water.
D) The canal of the lateral line system has numerous openings to the external
environment.
E) All of the above

56. The molecular mechanism by which light is absorbed into visual systems is
A) a change of shape in the opsin protein.
B) depolarization of the rhodopsin molecule.
C) isomerization of the retinal molecule.
D) oxidation of the rhodopsin molecule.
E) None of the above

57. Which of the following statements about rhodopsin is false?

A) Rhodopsin consists of a protein and a light-absorbing molecule.
B) When 11-cis-retinal absorbs light, it becomes all-trans-retinal.
C) In vertebrate eyes, the retinal and the opsin never separate from each other.
D) Rhodopsin is a transmembrane protein.
E) All animals that can sense light do so using rhodopsin.

58. Which of the following statements about the functioning of a rod cell is false?
A) Rhodopsin is located in the stack of disks that is farthest from the light source.
B) A rod cell is a modified neuron.
C) The resting potential of a rod cell in the dark is less negative than a typical neuron.
D) The membrane potential of a rod cell exposed to light becomes more positive.
E) The plasma membrane of a rod cell is fairly permeable to Na+ ions.

59. Which of the following statements about the molecular events of photoreception
is false?
A) A single photon can excite a rhodopsin molecule.
B) In a well-lit setting, most of the sodium channels of a rod cell are open.
C) cGMP keeps the sodium channels open.
D) Activated phosphodiesterase (PDE) catalyzes the reaction hydrolyzing cGMP into
GMP.
E) Activated transducin activates PDE.

60. Which of the following is a difference between rods and cones?

A) Cones are more sensitive at low light intensity.

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B) Rods are responsible for color vision.
C) There are more cones than rods in the human retina.
D) Strictly nocturnal animals have more cones than rods.
E) In the fovea, the density of cones is greater than the density of rods.

61. When an individual rod cell is stimulated with light, its membrane potential
A) becomes more negative.
B) becomes more positive.
C) becomes more positive than that of other neurons.
D) begins to generate action potentials.
E) begins to reduce membrane polarization.

62. The activation of a rhodopsin molecule sets off a chain reaction that leads to the
A) opening of a sodium channel.
B) closing of a large number of sodium channels.
C) formation of an activated phosphodiesterase molecule.
D) activation of a large number of transducin molecules.
E) activation of other rhodopsin molecules.

63. If a flatworm is positioned relative to a stationary light source such that more
light-sensitive cells are stimulated in its right than in its left eye cup, the
planarian will
A) turn to the left.
B) turn to the right.
C) make a complete clockwise circle.
D) make a complete counterclockwise circle.
E) stop moving.

64. Arthropods have evolved compound eyes consisting of large numbers of

A) retinas.
B) cones.
C) eye cups.
D) ommatidia.
E) pupils.

65. Which of the following statements about the compound eyes of arthropods is
false?
A) Ommatidia are the optical units of compound eyes.
B) The number of ommatidia per eye can vary greatly in different species.
C) The eyes of cephalopods are similar to the compound eyes of arthropods.
D) The compound eye communicates a relatively crude image to the central nervous

Page 12
 system.
E) Each ommatidium has a lens structure that directs light onto photoreceptors.

66. The amount of light entering the eye is decreased when the
A) distance between the lens and retina is decreased.
B) distance between the lens and retina is increased.
C) iris relaxes.
D) iris constricts.
E) shape of the lens changes.

67. Which of the following does not affect the focus of an image on the retina?
A) The shape of the lens
B) The shape of the retina
C) The ligaments suspending the lens
D) The ciliary muscles
E) The elasticity of the lens

68. Which of the following statements about vertebrate vision is false?

A) Visual acuity varies according to the density of photoreceptors in the retina.
B) Some vertebrates have two foveas per eye.
C) A blind spot is always located where the optic nerve leaves the eye.
D) Unlike a camera, the vertebrate eye does not project inverted images on the retina.
E) Two major types of photoreceptor cells are found in the retina.

69. Which of the following statements about accommodation is false?

A) Accommodation is the process by which objects from different portions of the
visual field are focused on the retina.
B) Vertebrates such as fish and reptiles accommodate by moving the lens relative to
the retina.
C) The suspensory ligaments keep the lens flattened.
D) When a person attempts to focus on a distant object, the ciliary muscles contract.
E) The ciliary muscles change the shape of the eye by counteracting the action of the
suspensory ligaments.

70. Which of the following statements about the functioning of the vertebrate eye is
false?
A) The cornea is transparent so that it can transmit light.
B) The size of the pupil varies with light levels.
C) The iris is under control of the autonomic nervous system.
D) The lens focuses the image on the retina.
E) The fovea is the part of the retina with the lowest density of photoreceptors.

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 71. The blind spot in the eye is caused by
A) an unusually high density of rod cells.
B) an unusually high density of cone cells.
C) the focal spot of incoming light.
D) a lack of photoreceptors where the optic nerve leaves the eye.
E) saturated photoreceptors.

72. Which of the following statements about the vertebrate retina is false?
A) There are more rods than cones in the retinas of humans.
B) There is a higher proportion of cones than rods in the foveas of humans.
C) Cones give us our highest visual acuity.
D) Our peripheral vision involves more rod cells than cone cells.
E) Some entirely nocturnal animals have only cones in their retinas.

73. Which of the following cell layers of the retina is responsible for producing
action potentials that are sent to the brain?
A) Horizontal
B) Pigmented
C) Bipolar
D) Amacrine
E) Ganglion

74. Which of the following statements about color vision is false?

A) There are three different types of cone cells in the human retina.
B) The absorption spectra of cone cells differ because of molecular differences in the
retinal molecules.
C) Rods do not contribute to color vision.
D) The different rhodopsins in the human retina differ according to the range of
wavelengths of light they absorb best.
E) Nocturnal animals often have poor color vision.

75. Which of the following cell layers occurs farthest back in the retina?
A) Horizontal
B) Photoreceptors
C) Bipolar
D) Amacrine
E) Ganglion

76. The structure that allows snakes to detect infrared wavelengths is called the _______.

Page 14
77. The phenomenon of emitting sounds and creating images from reflections of those
sounds is called _______.

78. A change in the resting membrane potential of a sensory cell in response to a stimulus is
called a(n) _______ potential.

79. The ability of many sensory cells to ignore background or unchanging conditions while
remaining sensitive to changes or new information is called _______.

80. _______ arriving in the visual cortex are interpreted as light; in the auditory cortex as
sound; and in the olfactory cortex as smell.

81. _______ are chemical signals used by individuals to communicate with other
individuals of their species.

82. The snake's forked tongue fits into cavities in the roof of its mouth that are richly
endowed with olfactory sensors. Thus the snake uses its tongue to _______ its
environment.

83. The _______ in mammals is located on the septum dividing the two nostrils and
functions in detecting pheromones.

84. Many animals can focus sounds by moving their ear _______ toward the sound.

85. Hair cells have a set of projections called _______ that open _______ when they bend.

86. The three tiny bones of the middle ear transmit vibrations from the _______ to the oval
window.

87. The inner ear is a long, coiled structure called the _______.

88. A common cause of _______ is cumulative and permanent damage to the hair cells of
the organ of Corti.

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89. Fish can detect pressure waves in water through their _______ sensory system.

90. The molecule _______ is the basis for photosensitivity.

91. A dense layer of photoreceptor cells at the back of the vertebrate eye forms the _______.

92. Besides vertebrates, the group of animals that has eyes that form images like cameras is
the _______ group.

93. Mammals can alter the shape of the lens by contracting the _______.

94. The most photosensitive area of the retina is the _______.

95. Just before they are transmitted to the brain via the optic nerve, visual signals are
processed by _______.

96. Refer to the diagram below of the ear. Which of the following statements about
the diagram is false?

A) Stereocilia embedded in cupulae are found in structure 1.

B) Sound waves in air are converted into fluid waves when the stapes move against
the structure covering the opening at position 4.
C) The position and orientation of the head are sensed by structure 1.
D) Otoliths are found on top of a gelatinous substance in the structure indicated by 2.

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E) Damage to structure 5 can cause deafness.

97. Refer to the diagram below of the cochlea. Which of the following statements
about the diagram is true?

A) If structure 1 vibrates slowly, the displacement pressure is dissipated by outward

bulging of structure 4.
B) If structure 1 vibrates rapidly, structure 5 flexes.
C) The more rapid the vibrations of structure 1, the greater the amplitude of flexion of
structure 5 at position X.
D) High-pitch sound waves are detected at position Z.
E) The organ of Corti is part of structure 5.

98. Refer to the graph below, showing the response of rod cells to flashes of light.
Which of the following statements about the experiment depicted in the graph is
true?

A) It demonstrates that the membrane potential of rod cells is hyperpolarized in the

dark.
B) It demonstrates that the membrane potential of rod cells is depolarized by light.
C) The stimulus that produces tracing 1 causes the rod cell to release more
neurotransmitter than the stimulus that produces tracing 3.
D) The membrane potential depicted in tracing 3 shows the response to dim light.
E) None of the above

99. Refer to the diagram below of the eye. Which of the following incorrectly

Page 17
 matches a labeled structure with the function it performs?

A) Structure 1 – Controls the amount of light reaching photoreceptor cells

B) Structure 2 – Contracts to moves lens closer to or farther away from retina to focus
image
C) Structure 3 – Area where density of cones is highest
D) Structure 4 – Area of the blind spot
E) Structure 5 – Allows the eye to accommodate

100. Refer to the graph below. According to the information presented in the graph,
which of the following statements is false?

A) The retinal group of the rhodopsin indicated by absorption spectrum 2 is different

from the retinal group of the rhodopsin indicated by absorption spectrum 4.
B) The absorption spectrum indicated by curve 2 is observed in visual pigments in rod

Page 18
 cells.
C) The absorption spectrum indicated by curve 3 is observed in visual pigments in
cone cells.
D) The absorption spectrum indicated by curve 4 is from a visual pigment that detects
red light.
E) The opsin molecules that give rise to the four curves are all different.

Page 19
Answer Key

1. A
2. B
3. C
4. A
5. E
6. B
7. A
8. D
9. E
10. C
11. E
12. E
13. E
14. C
15. D
16. C
17. E
18. E
19. D
20. E
21. C
22. C
23. B
24. D
25. D
26. B
27. D
28. C
29. B
30. E
31. D
32. A
33. C
34. E
35. C
36. B
37. D
38. B
39. C
40. E
41. C
42. B
43. A
44. A

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45. A
46. C
47. B
48. E
49. D
50. D
51. C
52. C
53. C
54. A
55. E
56. C
57. C
58. D
59. B
60. E
61. A
62. B
63. A
64. D
65. C
66. D
67. B
68. D
69. D
70. E
71. D
72. E
73. E
74. B
75. B
76. pit organ
77. echolocation
78. receptor
79. adaptation
80. Action potentials
81. Pheromones
82. smell
83. vomeronasal organ
84. pinnae
85. stereocilia; ion channels
86. tympanic membrane
87. cochlea
88. nerve deafness (or deafness)
89. lateral line
90. rhodopsin

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 91. retina
92. cephalopod mollusk
93. ciliary muscles
94. fovea
95. ganglion cells
96. B
97. D
98. D
99. B
100. A

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