3.

10 Nerves [Answer Key]

1 Draw a diagram to show a nerve cell leading to a muscle.

Ans:
2 Suggest why separate brain cells are hard to see under the microscope.
Ans: It is hard to see individual cells because billions are packed together in the brain and each
cell has thousands of connections to other cells.
3 Explain how cells can detect light and sound.
Ans: Light - detecting cells contain molecules that change shape when light hits them. Sound
detecting cells contain hairs which vibrate when they detect a sound. Both changes make the
cells release chemicals which make nerves send electrical messages to the brain.
4 Make a flowchart explaining what happens to your sensory cells when you see the lights of a
car coming towards you and you jump out of the way.
Molecules in your light - detecting cells change shape as they detect light from the car -> these
cells release chemicals -> nerve cells detect the chemicals and send an electrical signal to your
brain -> your brain interprets the signals -> new electrical signals pass along nerve cells to the
muscles in your leg - > these nerve cells release chemicals -> your muscles cells detect the
chemicals and contract -> you jump out of the way.
 3.10 Nerves [Answer Key] WB
1. Nerves are made up of specialised cells. They carry electrical signals to your brain from
sensory cells like the sound - detecting cells in the brain and the light - detecting cells in
your eyes. Your brain converts these signals into sound and images you understand.
Nerves also carry electrical signals from your brain to your muscles to cause movement.
2. a. What type of signal is carried through the nerve cell at X?
Electrical signals
b. What carries a signal between a nerve and muscle cell at Y?
Chemical signals
3. The nerve connected to the bladder A releases a chemical signal. Some of the chemical
signal stays in the liquid around the bladder. This makes bladder B contract.
4. The correct order is:
b. The hair on Rahid’s sound - detecting cells vibrate.
d. The sound detecting cells release a chemical.
a. Nerves pick up the chemical and send an electrical signal to Rahid’s brain.
e. Rahid’s brain sends signals along nerves to his arm muscles.
c. Nerves is Rahid’s arm release a chemical which makes muscles contract.
f. His muscles pull on bones to raise his arm.