Question 1

_____ can be caused by a blow to the head that tears the olfactory nerve.
A)Dysosmia
B)Aphasia
C)Agnosia
D)Umami

Accepted Answer

Dysosmia refers to an impaired sense of smell, which can be caused by damage to the olfactory nerve. A blow to the head can tear the olfactory nerve, leading to a loss or impairment of the sense of smell. Aphasia refers to a language impairment, agnosia refers to a perceptual impairment, and umami refers to a savory taste sensation.

Question 2

Dysosmia can be caused by
A)damage to the hair cells in the cochlea of the nose.
B)a genetic defect that is passed from mother to son.
C)blows to the head that may tear the olfactory nerve.
D)eating extremely sour or bitter foods.

Accepted Answer

Dysosmia, or a distorted sense of smell, can be caused by the tearing of the olfactory nerve due to head trauma or injury. Damage to the hair cells in the cochlea of the nose (A) may cause other types of olfactory dysfunction such as anosmia (loss of smell) or hyposmia (reduced sense of smell). There is no evidence of dysosmia being caused by a genetic defect (B) or by eating sour or bitter foods (D).

Question 3

The lock-and-key system is used to explain
A)how we experience pain.
B)color vision.
C)olfaction.
D)the vestibulary sense.

Accepted Answer

The lock-and-key system is commonly used to explain how olfaction, or the sense of smell, works. It refers to the specific binding of odor molecules (keys) to receptor proteins (locks) in the nose, which then sends signals to the brain to interpret the smell.

Question 4

Which would represent the greatest loss to a professional wine taster or chef?
A)vestibular loss
B)injury to the pinna
C)olfactory loss
D)injury to the cochlea

Accepted Answer

Olfactory loss would represent the greatest loss to a professional wine taster or chef as it would impair their ability to detect and distinguish different aromas and flavors in food and wine, making it difficult for them to perform their job. Vestibular loss (A) would affect one's balance and spatial orientation, but not necessarily their sense of taste or smell. Injury to the pinna (B) would affect one's ability to hear, but not their sense of taste or smell. Injury to the cochlea (D) would also affect one's ability to hear.

Question 5

That roses have a distinctive and similar fragrance regardless of where they are found is explained by the fact that
A)they produce molecules of similar shape that match the olfactory receptors.
B)the airborne molecules activate the vestibulary receptors for the floral fragrances.
C)they produce similar numbers of gaseous molecules.
D)the floral smell of roses is one of the four primary scents.

Accepted Answer

Roses produce molecules of similar shape that match the olfactory receptors, which is why they have a distinctive and similar fragrance regardless of where they are found.

Question 6

Regarding olfaction, which of the following statements is FALSE?
A)In humans, about 1000 types of smell receptors are believed to exist.
B)Humans can detect at least 10,000 different odors.
C)The theory that explains olfaction is called the gate control theory.
D)Specific shapes of molecules have been found to produce different odors, such as floral, camphoric, musky, minty, and etherish.

Accepted Answer

The theory that explains olfaction is not called the gate control theory. The correct theory is the shape-pattern theory or the lock-and-key theory, which states that different odors are recognized by different combinations of receptors that are sensitive to specific molecular shapes.

Question 7

Smell and taste can
A)aid people in cooking and maintaining a healthy appetite.
B)prevent poisonings.
C)add pleasure to our life.
D)do all of these.

Accepted Answer

Smell and taste can aid people in cooking by allowing them to detect flavors and aromas, and they can help maintain a healthy appetite by making food more enjoyable. They also play a crucial role in preventing poisonings by alerting people to potential dangers. Finally, enjoying pleasant smells and tastes can add pleasure to our lives.

Question 8

Dysosmia can be caused by all of the following EXCEPT
A)exposure to ammonia.
B)a recessive sex-linked trait.
C)blows to the head.
D)infections and allergies.

Accepted Answer

Dysosmia is a condition where the sense of smell is disturbed. Exposure to ammonia, blows to the head, infections and allergies can all cause dysosmia. However, it is not caused by a recessive sex-linked trait.

Question 9

The _____ theory of olfaction holds that odors are related to the shapes of chemical molecules.
A)trichromatic
B)lock and key
C)opponent process
D)gate control

Accepted Answer

The lock and key theory of olfaction states that odors are detected through the shapes of chemical molecules. The shape of an odor molecule (the "key") fits into a receptor site in the olfactory epithelium (the "lock"), triggering a neural response that is interpreted as a specific odor. The other options (trichromatic, opponent process, and gate control) pertain to other sensory modalities (vision, color perception, and pain, respectively).

Question 10

Loss or impairment of the sense of smell is called
A)olfactory deprivation.
B)the lock and key effect.
C)olfactory failure.
D)dysosmia.

Accepted Answer

Loss or impairment of the sense of smell is called dysosmia.

Question 11

The theory of smell involving different shaped holes on the odor receptors is called the _____ theory.
A)trichromatic
B)lock and key
C)opponent process
D)gate control

Accepted Answer

The theory of smell involving different shaped holes on the odor receptors is called the lock and key theory. This theory suggests that specific odor molecules fit like a "key" into specific olfactory receptor sites in the nasal cavity, triggering a neural response that results in the perception of a particular smell.

Question 12

The _____ of activated receptors tells the brain how strong an odor is.
A)shape
B)number
C)location
D)size

Accepted Answer

The number of activated receptors directly correlates with the strength of an odor sensed by the brain. As more odor molecules bind to receptors, more receptors are activated, and the brain perceives a stronger scent. Shape, location, and size of activated receptors may also play a role in odor perception but are not directly related to odor strength.

Question 13

The differing smell qualities are
A)only divided into four basic categories: floral, musky, minty, and ethereal.
B)the result of a gate-control system that filters the various scents.
C)the result of molecules activating different combinations of odor receptors.
D)dependent on the gustatory sense to produce the many different odors.

Accepted Answer

The differing smell qualities are the result of molecules activating different combinations of odor receptors, leading to the perception of various scents. This is the current understanding based on scientific research. There are more than four basic categories of smells, and gustation (the sense of taste) is distinct from olfaction (the sense of smell). Gate-control theory refers to how the brain processes pain, not smells.

Question 14

Scents are identified, in part, by the _____ of the receptors in the nose that are activated by a particular odor.
A)location
B)number
C)strength of the activation
D)size

Accepted Answer

The location of the receptors in the nose that are activated by a particular odor helps in identifying scents. Different odors activate different patterns of receptors.

Question 15

Olfaction is another name for the sense of
A)taste.
B)smell.
C)hearing.
D)vision.

Accepted Answer

Olfaction is a scientific term that refers specifically to the sense of smell.

Question 16

Olfaction and gustation are considered
A)chemical senses.
B)vestibular senses.
C)unrelated to each other.
D)of little importance in mammals.

Accepted Answer

Both olfaction and gustation rely on the detection of chemicals in order to function, making them chemical senses.

Question 17

You lose the ability to smell floral odors.This condition is called _____ and is explained by the _____ theory of olfaction.
A)anhedonia; place
B)dysosmia; lock-and-key
C)tinnitus; gate-control
D)sensory adaptation; molecular

Accepted Answer

Dysosmia is the loss or distortion of the sense of smell, and the lock-and-key theory of olfaction proposes that specific odor molecules fit into specific receptors in the olfactory epithelium in a lock-and-key fashion. Therefore, if the ability to smell certain floral odors is lost, it's likely due to a problem with specific receptors in the olfactory epithelium not being activated by those molecules.

Question 18

The idea that there are specific receptors for different odors is based on observations of
A)dysosmia.
B)somesthesia.
C)agnosia.
D)aphasia.

Accepted Answer

The observation of individuals with dysosmia, or the inability to detect or identify odors, suggests that there are specific receptors for different odors. If there were not specific receptors, individuals with dysosmia would not have trouble detecting or identifying specific odors.

Question 19

The sense of _____ occurs as airborne molecules pass over five million nerve fibers with the receptor proteins on the surface of these fibers being stimulated by these molecules, causing signals to be sent to the brain.
A)hearing
B)touch
C)smell
D)taste

Accepted Answer

The description matches the sense of smell, where airborne molecules stimulate receptor proteins on nerve fibers that send signals to the brain. Hearing is the sense of detecting sound waves, touch is the sense of physical contact, and taste requires molecules to come into contact with receptors on the tongue.

Question 20

With olfaction, the receptors respond primarily to
A)airborne molecules.
B)electromagnetic sensors.
C)sound waves.
D)gravity.

Accepted Answer

Olfaction involves the detection of airborne molecules by the receptors in the nose.

Quiz 4: Extension B: Sensation and Reality

_____ can be caused by a blow to the head that tears the olfactory nerve.

Dysosmia can be caused by

The lock-and-key system is used to explain

Which would represent the greatest loss to a professional wine taster or chef?

That roses have a distinctive and similar fragrance regardless of where they are found is explained by the fact that

Regarding olfaction, which of the following statements is FALSE?

Smell and taste can

Dysosmia can be caused by all of the following EXCEPT

The _____ theory of olfaction holds that odors are related to the shapes of chemical molecules.

Loss or impairment of the sense of smell is called

The theory of smell involving different shaped holes on the odor receptors is called the _____ theory.

The _____ of activated receptors tells the brain how strong an odor is.

The differing smell qualities are

Scents are identified, in part, by the _____ of the receptors in the nose that are activated by a particular odor.

Olfaction is another name for the sense of

Olfaction and gustation are considered

You lose the ability to smell floral odors.This condition is called _ and is explained by the _ theory of olfaction.

The idea that there are specific receptors for different odors is based on observations of

The sense of _____ occurs as airborne molecules pass over five million nerve fibers with the receptor proteins on the surface of these fibers being stimulated by these molecules, causing signals to be sent to the brain.

With olfaction, the receptors respond primarily to