50-4 Sensory System
iris
a flat, colored, ring-shaped membrane behind the cornea of the eye
thermoreceptors
a kind of sensory receptor that responds to changes in temperature
chemoreceptors
a kind of sensory receptor that responds to chemicals
mechanoreceptors
a kind of sensory receptor that responds to movement, pressure, and tension
pain receptors
a kind of sensory receptor that responds to tissue damage
photoreceptors
a kind of sensory receptor that responds to variations in light
amygdala
a limbic structure in the brain that is important to emotion, memory, eating behaviors
oval window
a membrane that separates the middle ear from the inner ear
lens
after light travels through the pupil, it enters __, a convex crystalline structure; bends the rays of the incoming light
tympanic membrane
also known as the eardrum
eustachian tube
an opening in the throat that enables you to equalize the pressure on both sides of your tympanic membrane whenever you experience a sudden change in air pressure
optic nerve
carries visual information in the form of action potentials from the retina to the thalamus
auditory canal
connects the external ear with the tympanic membrane
cones
help translate light energy into electrical signals that can be interpreted by the brain; __ are stimulated by bright lights; allows you to see all colors of the visible spectrum
rods
help translate light energy into electrical signals that can be interpreted by the brain; __ respond to dim light
sense organs
include the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and skin
cornea
light first passes through here; a clear protective layer
cochlea
located in the inner ear; a coiled tube consisting of three fluid-filled chambers that are separated by membranes
papillae
most taste buds are in between these bumps on the tongue
olfactory receptors
specialized chemoreceptors located in the olfactory epithelium of the nasal passage
taste buds
the chemoreceptors for taste
retina
the light-sensitive inner layer of the eye; where the light focuses
pupil
the opening to the interior of the eye
organ of Corti
the organ of hearing; rests on the bottom membrane in cochlea and has sensory receptors called hair cells, which move and stimulate action potentials
semi-circular canals
these canals in the inner ear are filled with fluid and lined with hair cells that help maintain balance of the body