SENSITIVITY/

COORDINATION
STIMULI AND RESPONSES
 A stimulus is any change in the environment
that causes a response.
 A response is a reaction to a stimulus.
 The capacity of an organism to respond to
stimuli is called sensitivity or irritability.
 Coordination describes the organized systems
that allow an organism to be able to detect
and respond to stimuli.
 RESPONSE
OF PLANTS
 The growth
response of plants
to a stimulus in one
direction is called a
TROPISM or a
TROPIC MOVEMENT.
PLANT RESPONSES
 Plants produce hormones and respond to
external stimuli, growing towards sources
of water and light, which they need to
survive.
 A tropism is a growth in response to a
stimulus and an auxin is a plant hormone
produced in the stem tips and roots, which
controls the direction of growth.
PHOTOTROPISM

GEOTROPISM
TYPES OF
TROPIC
MOVEMENTS

HYDROTROPISM
OR
TROPISMS

 THIGMOTROPISM
PHOTOTROPISM
 -Growth movement shown by plants in
response to LIGHT.

 -Shoots grow towards light

->POSITIVE PHOTOTROPISM

 -Roots grow away from light.

->NEGATIVE PHOTOTROPISM
 GEOTROPISM
 -Growth movement shown by plants in response to
GRAVITY.
 -Roots always grow downwards - in the direction

of gravity - POSITIVE GEOTROPISM

 -Shoots grow upwards away from gravity.

->NEGATIVE GEOTROPISM
HYDROTROPISM
 -Growth movement shown by plant in response to
WATER.

 -Roots grow towards water.->POSITIVE HYDROTROPISM

-Shoots grow away from water. -> NEGATIVE
HYDROTROPISM
 THIGMOTROPISM
 -Response by plants to TOUCH or contact with solid
structure

 -Climbing plants - have weak stems and tendrils to

support their own weight such as cucumber and
morning glory

 -Ensures that these plants

can grow upwards towards the sunlight.
NASTIC MOVEMENT
Nastic movements are sudden plant movements
that occur in response to environmental stimuli
but unlike tropic movements, the direction of
the response is not dependent on the direction of
the stimulus, and it is NOT a growth movement.
Some of the most spectacular plant movements
are nastic movements. These include the closing
of the carnivorous Venus Flytrap leaf when it
captures prey or the folding of the mimosa leaf
when it is disturbed.
NASTIC MOVEMENT
 -The direction of responses do not depend on
the direction of the stimuli.
 -Plants responses to external stimuli from any
direction- examples:
-

Mimosa plant (shame o’lady) Venus fly trap

 AUXINS
 Auxins are a family of hormones found in
plants. Auxins are mostly made in the tips of
the shoots and roots, and can diffuse to other
parts of the shoots or roots. They change the
rate of elongation in plant cells, controlling
how long they become. Shoots and roots
respond differently to high concentrations of
auxins:
 cells in shoots grow more
 cells in roots grow less.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/aqa/nervesandhormones/controlinplantsrev2.shtml
EFFECT OF AUXINS ON
TROPISMS
EFFECT OF AUXINS ON
TROPISMS
EFFECT OF AUXINS ON
TROPISMS
 cut off the tip
 covered the
stump with a
layer of gelatin
 replaced the
tip.
 Growth
continues
EFFECT OF AUXINS ON
TROPISMS
EFFECT OF AUXINS ON
TROPISMS
 When a flake of mica wafer was placed
between the tip and the stump,
phototropism was prevented.
 Interference occurred only when the sheet of
mica was inserted on the shady side of the
preparation.
 When the mica was inserted on the
illuminated side, phototropism was normal.
 This suggested that the chemical signal was a
growth stimulant as the phototropic response
involves faster cell elongation on the shady
side than on the illuminated side.
RESPONSE OF
INVERTEBRATES
INVESTIGATING
SCIENCE BOOK 3
PAGE 3
RESPONSE OF
INVERTEBRATES
 To variations in light intensities
 Light makes them more visible to predators.
 They MOVE AWAY from high light intensity
where they are not easily seen.
RESPONSE OF
INVERTEBRATES CON’T
 To variations in temperature
 They prefer warm temperatures which
provides the optimum temperatures for
enzymes which control all metabolic actions.
RESPONSE OF
INVERTEBRATES CON’T
 DO NOT CONTAIN GILLS OR LUNGS
 Many invertebrates depend on their body
surface for gaseous exchange.
 The gases dissolve in the layer of moisture on
their skin.
 To maintain the moisture, they tend to MOVE
TOWARDS THE MOISTURE.
 It helps to keep them from drying out or
dessicated.
RESPONSE
OF MAN
INVESTIGATING
SCIENCE BOOK 3
PAGE 3
 SENSITIVITY AND RESPONDING
TO THE ENVIRONMENT
 Most animal behavior is based on an animal’s
desire to survive. The chances of survival are
not very good for an animal that cannot find
food or hide from predators or respond to
changes in the environment.
 READ INVESTIGATING SCIENCE BOOK 3 PAGE 3
TO 32
RECEPTORS AND EFFECTORS
 Receptors detect stimuli.
 They are usually part of a sense organ eg.
Taste buds in tongue
 Effectors bring about a response to a
stimulus eg. Muscles in the arm
RECEPTORS AND EFFECTORS
 Sensory neuron
from stimuli
(receptor) to
interneuron in CNS
 Interneuron to
motor neuron
 Motor neuron to
effector
TYPES OF NERVOUS
SYSTEMS
1. Central Nervous System (CNS) – Consists of
the brain and spinal cord
2. Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) – consists
of all the nerves not in the CNS
3. The Autonomic nervous system is that
which controls involuntary actions like
breathing and heart beat.
TYPES OF NERVE CELLS
1. Sensory neurone
2. Intermediate or Relay neurone
3. Motor neurone

The gap between two nerve cells

is called a synapse
REFLEX ACTIONS
 These are involuntary responses to stimuli.
 The route or pathway along which impulses
travel during a reflex action is called a

reflex arc.
REFLEX ARC FOR
TOUCHING A HOT
POT
 REFLEX ARC FOR
TOUCHING A HOT POT
1. Temperature receptors in the skin detect
the heat.
2. Sensory neurones take impulses to the CNS
(spinal cord).
3. Within the CNS, the impulses are carried by
the relay neurones.
4. Motor neurones take impulses from the CNS
to the muscle in the arm.
5. The muscles contract and the arm is
removed.
IMPORTANCE OF THE CNS
 It allows us to make intelligent decisions in
cases of emergency. Eg. If a wasp stings you
while holding a baby. It tells you to gently
put the baby down and not drop him.
CONDITIONED AND
UNCONDITIONED REFLEXES
 Unconditioned reflexes are not learned, they
are inborn. Eg. Blinking, moving hand from a
hot pot.
 Conditioned reflexes are learned (often
without realizing it) eg. Riding a bicycle.
PUPIL REFLEX
 IN BRIGHT LIGHT:
 Receptors on retina receive the stimulus of bright
light.
 Sensory neurones take messages to the brain.
 Motor neurones carry message from the brain to iris
muscles.
 Antagonistic muscles of the iris makes pupil SMALLER.
 IN DIM LIGHT
 The same pathway of messages occur
 BUT antagonistic muscles of iris make pupil LARGER
KNEE JERK REFLEX
 Pressure receptors at the
base of the knee detect
the pressure from the
hammer.
 Sensory neurone takes
message to spinal cord
 Motor neurone ‘tells’ leg
muscle to contract pulling
the foot forward.
THE BRAIN
 Is enclosed within the
cranium or skull.
 Is surrounded by
membranes called
meninges.
THE BRAIN CON’T
The parts of the brain are:
1. The cerebrum – this is the largest part of
the brain and is divided into two
hemispheres (cerebral hemispheres).
 It is responsible for conscious thought and
memory.
 Different parts of the cerebrum are
responsible for different things like sight and
speech.
 The part at the front (frontal lobe)
determines one’s personality.
THE BRAIN CON’T
2. Cerebellum – this is smaller than the
cerebrum controls body coordination such
as movement and posture.
3. Medulla oblongata – sometimes referred to
as the brain stem. It controls heartbeat and
breathing.
THE BRAIN CON’T
4. Hypothalamus – is found underneath the
front part of the cerebrum. This is
responsible for osmoregulation and
temperature.
5. The pituitary gland – is found below the
hypothalamus. It produces many hormones
involved in growth, sexual reproduction and
osmoregulation.
https://
www.britannica.com/video/73127/stems-Plant
s-direction-source-roots