Biology – YOUR SENSES

AND NERVOUS SYSTEM

The sense organs contain receptors that are sensitive to stimuli.
Human vision is binocular, which gives us a good perception of depth. Vision
defects include short-sightedness, long-sightedness and colour blindness.
The nervous system consists of the central nervous system - brain and spinal
cord -and peripheral nerves. Nerve impulses travel through the axons of
neurones - nerve cells. Reflex actions are fast, automatic and protective
responses.

TO SEE THINGS FROM MY BIOLOGY BOOK GO TO THE LAST FEW SLIDES

FOR EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW! THE OTHER SLIDES ARE JUST
WITH EXTRA DETAIL WHICH IS NOT NEEDED MUCH!
 Sense Organs - Receptors
Receptors are groups of specialised cells. They
can detect changes in the environment, which
are called stimuli, and turn them into electrical
impulses. Receptors are often located in the
sense organs, such as the ear, eye and skin.
Each organ has receptors sensitive to particular
kinds of stimulus.
The central nervous system - CNS - in humans
consists of the brain and spinal cord. When a
receptor is stimulated, it sends a signal along the
nerve cells - neurones - to the brain. The brain
then co-ordinates the response.
 The Eye

A photograph of a human
retina seen through the eye
 Vision - Stereoscopic vision
Because our eyes sit side by side, each eye
captures a slightly different view. This is called
stereoscopic vision. When signals from the
two eyes reach the brain, they are superimposed
and processed into a single picture with depth.
As a result, we get a 3D picture and are able to
judge distances well.
Most birds and lizards have monocular vision -
their eyes are on each side of their head. This
gives them a greater field of view, which is
useful for spotting predators. However, they
have poor depth perception
 Pathway of Light
Light passes through the eyeball to the retina. It is refracted (its rays
are bent) by the cornea and lens, so that the light is brought to a focus
on the retina.
 Vision Defects
Short-sight
Myopia - short-sight
Someone with short-
sightedness can see near
objects clearly, but cannot
focus properly on distant
objects. This is because
the lens focuses the
sharpest image in front of
the retina, instead of on it.
 Vision Defects
Long-sight

Hypermetropia - long-sight
Someone with long-sightedness
can see distant objects clearly,
but cannot focus properly on
near objects. This is because
the lens focuses the sharpest
image behind the retina, instead
of on it.
 Color Blindness
Colour blindness is an inherited condition.
The retina contains cells that are sensitive
to red, green or blue light. People with
colour blindness have a lack of receptors,
or defects in them. People with red-green
colour blindness, for example, have
difficulty distinguishing shades of red and
green.
 The Nervous System
The main parts of the nervous system are the central nervous system - the
CNS - the brain and spinal cord - and the peripheral nervous system. Nerve
impulses are mainly electrical and carried in nerve cells, or neurones.

Neurones
The diagram shows the main parts of a motor neurone - which carries nerve
impulses to effectors such as muscles. - The nerve impulse is carried in the
axon.
 Neurones - HIGHER
The sheath acts as an insulator - rather like the plastic
coating of an electrical wire. Neurones are adapted to
their function by being long, so that they communicate
with distant parts of the body. They also have branched
endings called dendrites. These connect with many
other neurones.
The gap between two neurones is called a synapse. The
nerve impulse passes across this gap through chemicals
that diffuse across the gap. The electrical signal travels
along an axon and triggers the release of chemical
transmitters from the nerve ending of the first neurone.
These diffuse across the gap and make the second
neurone re-transmit the electrical signal
 Reflex Actions
When a receptor is stimulated, it sends a signal to the central nervous
system, where the brain co-ordinates the response. But sometimes a very
quick response is needed, one that does not need the involvement of the
brain. This is a reflex action.
Reflex actions are rapid and happen without us thinking. For example, you
would pull your hand away from a hot flame without thinking about it.

This is what happens:

•receptor detects a stimulus -
change in the environment
•sensory neurone sends
signal to relay neurone
•motor neurone sends signal
to effector
•effector produces a
response
 Vision Defects - HIGHER
Short-sightedness
Someone with short-sightedness can see near objects clearly, but
cannot focus properly on distant objects. This is caused by the
eyeball being elongated, so that the distance between the lens and
the retina is too great. It can be corrected by placing a concave lens
in front of the eye.
 Vision Defects - HIGHER
Long-sightedness
Someone with long-sightedness can see distant objects clearly, but
cannot focus properly on near objects. This is because the lens
focuses the sharpest image behind the retina, instead of on it. This
defect is often age-related, and due to a loss of elasticity in the lens.
It is corrected by putting a convex lens in front of the eye.
 From Biology BOOK
The EYE:
To see near objects the suspensory ligaments slack and the ciliary muscles contract
To see a far object the suspensory ligaments tighten and the ciliary muscles relax
The eye is a complicated sense organ which focuses light onto light sensitive receptor cells. Causes
Nerve impulses. Pupil moves, lens move. Iris opens up to see in the dark closes to see in the
light.
When muscles relax the lens is thin but when they tighten the lens is thick. When you look closer the
lens gets thicker.
The cornea and the lens refract rays of light so they converge (come together) at a single point and
produce a clear image on the retina.
CONCAVE LENS FOR THE SHORT SIGHTED
CONVEX LENS FOR THE LONG SIGHTED

We see in colour because specialised cells in the retina detect red green and blue light. In people with
red green blue color blindness some of these cells are missing.

The lens is a clear , flexible bag of fluid surrounded by circular ciliary muscles that change the shape
of the lens (accommodation). Suspensory ligament attach the lens to the ciliary muscles.
Long sighted: long sight is caused by an eyeball that is too short or a lens that stays long and thin
(does not change shape properly).
Short Sighted: caused by an eyeball that is too long or weak ciliary muscles which cannot pull the
lens into a think flat shape.
 From Biology BOOK
The Nervous System
Neurons are specially adapted cells that can carry a nerve impulse. This is carried in the axon.
3 different types of neurones:
1) A sensory neurone carries nerve impulses from the receptor to the brain. Takes information IN from your senses to you brain!
2) A motor neurone carries nerve impulses from the brain to the muscles and glands. Takes information OUT! If you cut these they
never repair themselves
3) A relay neurone makes connections between the neurones inside the brain and spinal cord. Impulses travel first towards and then
away from cell body.
Neurones are extremely long, they have an insulation around them to stop electrical signals going the wrong way and speeds up the speed of
the signal (insulation is called the sheaf).
Neurones have branched ending so they can send messages to many other nerve cells at the same time.
Neurones never touch each other. Between each nerve cell there is a very small gap called a synapse. Message is carried across the synapse
by chemicals called neurotransmitters .

The brain and the spinal cord both make a simple decision – central nervous system. Peripheral nervous system is everything else.
The nervous system allows organisms to react to their surroundings and co-ordinates their behaviour. The nervous system can be divided into
the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system
Receptors are the specialised nerve endings that respond to stimuli. The different types are:
Light receptors in the eyes
Sound receptors in the eyes
Change of position receptors in the ears for balance
Taste receptors on tongue
Smell receptors in nose
Touch, pressure, pain and temperature in the skin

Effectors is the name given to the muscle or gland that responds to the nervous system.
Because it has an effect on the body – Effectors = Effect
Receptors = receive