Question 1

Afferent neurons

Accepted Answer

Afferent neurons and sensory neurons are the same thing and are responsible for detecting external stimuli and transmitting this information to the central nervous system (CNS). They do not directly communicate with muscles or glands (answer A) or motor neurons (answer D), but instead transmit information to interneurons in the CNS, which then communicate with motor neurons to initiate a response. Afferent neurons also do not transport messages between sensory and motor neurons (answer B). While they can detect changes in internal functions (such as changes in blood pressure or body temperature), this is not their primary function (answer E).

Question 2

Motor neurons are also known as ________ neurons.

Accepted Answer

Motor neurons are responsible for carrying signals from the central nervous system to the muscles, glands, and organs, and are therefore known as efferent neurons.

Question 3

Which of the following statements expresses the correct relationship?

Accepted Answer

Genes are made up of nucleotides, which are the building blocks of DNA. Chromosomes are made up of both DNA and proteins, and while genes are located on chromosomes, they are not made up of chromosomes themselves. Nucleotides are the individual units that make up DNA and RNA, not genes. Genotypes are the genetic makeup of an organism, while phenotypes are the physical expression of those genes.

Question 4

Which of the following is a characteristic that might be a part of your phenotype?

Accepted Answer

Phenotype refers to the observable physical and behavioral characteristics of an organism, such as height and eye color. The other choices do not directly relate to an individual's physical traits.

Question 5

Which of the following is NOT true of neuron function?

Accepted Answer

Nerve cells use both electrical and chemical signals to communicate with each other. Chemical signals, called neurotransmitters, are released by the axon terminals and diffuse across the synaptic cleft to bind with receptors on the next neuron or effector cell.

Question 6

Every one of your actions arises from

Accepted Answer

Neural impulses from the brain delivered to your muscles are responsible for initiating actions, as the brain sends signals through motor neurons to execute movements.

Question 7

Which of the following did you NOT inherit from your parents?

Accepted Answer

While it is common to inherit religious beliefs from one's parents, it is not always the case as individuals can develop their own beliefs through personal experiences and explorations. The other options (B, C, D, E) are all inherited traits or characteristics.

Question 8

Behavior consistently found in a species is likely to have a genetic basis that evolved because the behavior has been adaptive. Which of the following human behaviors illustrate this concept?

Accepted Answer

Language is a behavior consistently found in the human species and has a genetic basis that evolved because it has been adaptive for communication and social interaction. The other choices involve skills or achievements that are not consistently found in the human species and do not necessarily have a genetic basis. Down syndrome is a genetic disorder, but it is not a behavior.

Question 9

________ neurons carry messages to the brain and are therefore able to help us know about what is going on in our surroundings.

Accepted Answer

Sensory neurons are responsible for carrying messages from the sensory receptors (such as those in the skin, eyes, and ears) to the brain, allowing us to sense and understand our surroundings. Motor neurons, on the other hand, carry messages from the brain to muscles and glands to control movement and other bodily functions. Interneurons connect sensory and motor neurons and are responsible for processing information within the brain. Sympathetic and peripheral neurons are subcategories of the autonomic nervous system, which controls involuntary actions and responses. They do not specifically carry sensory messages to the brain.

Question 10

Mary put her hand on a hot stove. Which neuron is responsible for sending a pain message up her spinal column, where it would then enter into the main area of the spinal cord?

Accepted Answer

Sensory neurons are responsible for carrying pain messages from the site of the injury or stimulation up the spinal column to the central nervous system. Motor neurons are responsible for carrying messages from the central nervous system to muscles or glands to produce movement or release of secretions. Interneurons are responsible for communication between different neurons within the central nervous system. A reflex is an involuntary response to a stimulus that does not involve conscious thought, and efferent neurons are responsible for carrying messages away from the central nervous system to the muscles or glands.

Question 11

Which of the following is true of nerve cell development?

Accepted Answer

A) The brain has excess neurons at birth - This is true, as the brain produces more neurons during development than it will use in adulthood. 
B) There are about 100 billion nerve cells in the adult brain - This is also true, as studies estimate that there are around 100 billion neurons in the human brain. 
C) Some nerve cells are pruned away during the first few years of life - This is true, as the brain eliminates unnecessary or unused connections between neurons during development in a process called synaptic pruning. 
D) The human brain has the ability to think about itself - This is also true, as the human brain is capable of self-reflection and awareness.

Question 12

Some identical twins have the same genetic makeup but look slightly different. Their slight differences in observable appearance are an example of _______, which are influenced by both biology and environment.

Accepted Answer

Phenotypes refer to the observable characteristics or traits of an organism, which are influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. In the case of identical twins, they have the same genetic makeup but can have slight differences in their phenotype due to differences in their environment or other non-genetic factors. Therefore, choice C is the most appropriate answer.

Question 13

Dendrite is to axon as:

Accepted Answer

Dendrites receive signals from other neurons and send them towards the cell body, while axons send signals away from the cell body towards other neurons. Therefore, receive is to send is the best analogy.

Question 14

When a cell is at rest, it is in a state called the

Accepted Answer

The resting state of a cell is known as resting potential. This is the state where the cell is polarized and has a negative charge on the inside compared to the outside. This state is important for the functioning of the nervous system and muscle cells.

Question 15

Because the human brain is already programmed for language at birth, we can say that language is a(n) ________ behavioral tendency.

Accepted Answer

The word programmed in the question suggests that language is something inherent to human beings and not something that is learned later in life. The word innate means "inborn" or "natural," which fits the definition of language as something we are born with the ability to acquire. Therefore, the best answer is C) innate.

Question 16

In purely evolutionary terms, which one would be a measure of your own success as an organism?

Accepted Answer

In purely evolutionary terms, an organism's success is measured by its reproductive success, which is the number of offspring it produces that survive to reproductive age and have offspring of their own. Therefore, the number of children an organism has is the best measure of its success in terms of evolutionary fitness.

Question 17

Which of the following is true about interneurons?

Accepted Answer

Interneurons relay messages to the brain.

Question 18

Darwin's theory of evolution suggests that the only measure of success for a species is

Accepted Answer

According to Darwin's theory of natural selection, the ultimate measure of success for a species is its ability to reproduce and pass on its genes to the next generation. This concept is often referred to as "survival of the fittest," meaning that the individuals best adapted to their environment will have a better chance of reproducing and passing on their favorable traits. The other options (A, B, C, and E) do not necessarily contribute to a species' success in terms of reproduction and passing on favorable traits.

Question 19

Your teacher asks you to describe the sequence of parts of a neuron that the impulse travels to during neural conduction. Which of the following sequences will you offer?

Accepted Answer

The correct sequence for the path of an impulse during neural conduction is dendrites, soma (cell body), axon, and then terminal buttons. Dendrites receive the signal, which is then transmitted to the soma, travels down the axon, and finally reaches the terminal buttons to pass the signal to the next neuron or effector cell.

Question 20

LaKeisha stepped on a piece of glass and quickly pulled her foot away from that sharp object. Which of the following are responsible for sending a message to the muscles in LaKeisha's foot, resulting in her pulling her foot away from the piece of glass?

Accepted Answer

Motor neurons are responsible for carrying signals from the central nervous system to muscles, causing them to contract or relax in response to a stimulus. In this case, the stimulus was the piece of glass causing pain, and the motor neurons responding by causing the muscles in LaKeisha's foot to contract and pull away from the glass.

Quiz 2: Biopsychology, Neuroscience, and Human Nature