The nervous system

This question is about the nervous system.

What is the name of the gap between two neurones?

Tick (✓) one box.

A coordinator

A reflex arc

A synapse

A scientist investigated how age affects reaction time in a group of students.

Figure 6 shows the results.

The students had not practised the reaction time test.

Suggest two other control variables the scientists should have used.

What was the mean reaction time of 10-year-olds?

Use Figure 6.

Mean reaction time = _____________________ milliseconds

How old were the students with the lowest mean reaction time?

Use Figure 6.

Tick (✓) one box.

10 years old

11 years old

12 years old

The scientist also measured the reaction time of 35 adults.

Describe how to calculate the mean reaction time for the 35 adults.

The reaction time of one adult was 450 milliseconds.

What is the reaction time of the adult in seconds?

1 second = 1000 milliseconds.

Reaction time = ________________ seconds

This question is about the nervous system.

A person steps on a sharp object.

The person immediately moves their foot away from the object.

The response is a pain withdrawal reflex.

Describe two ways that a reflex action is different from a conscious action.

Describe how the nervous system causes the reflex action after stepping on the sharp object.

Table 1 shows information about two types of reaction time.

Scientists investigated how the age of students affects SRT and CRT.

Figure 5 shows the results.

In the investigation the sex, physical health and mental health of the students were control variables.

Suggest one other control variable the scientists should have used.

Determine the size of the range of CRT for students aged 11 years.

Give your answer in seconds.

Size of range = ________________________ seconds

A student stated:

‘The age of students affects their reaction time.’

Evaluate the student’s statement.

Use Figure 5.

Bees feed on sugar solution produced by the flowers of plants.

Figure 1 shows a bee feeding on a flower.

Why do bees feed on sugar solution?

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For gaseous exchange

To obtain energy

To provide proteins

Bees have a simple nervous system.

The bee nervous system has many similar features to the human nervous system.

The antenna is a sense organ.

The antenna contains specialised cells that detect stimuli.

What are cells that detect stimuli called?

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Coordinators

Effectors

Receptors

When an antenna of a bee touches sugar solution the bee automatically sticks out its tongue.

What type of action is automatic?

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A conscious action

A delayed action

A reflex action

Figure 2 shows the nervous pathway taken when a bee antenna touches sugar solution.

What is the gap labelled X ?

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A gland

A synapse

An impulse

What type of neurone is Y ?

Tick (✓) one box.

Motor neurone

Relay neurone

Sensory neurone

Eyes are sense organs that can detect electromagnetic radiation.

A bee’s eye can detect ultraviolet radiation.

Detecting ultraviolet radiation allows the bee to see the parts of the flower that produce sugar solution.

Why is it an advantage for bees to see the parts of the flower that produce sugar solution?

Figure 3 shows the electromagnetic spectrum.

Which letter shows the position of ultraviolet radiation in the electromagnetic spectrum?

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Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum in Figure 3 has the lowest frequency?

Bees have a simple nervous system.

The bee nervous system has similar features to the human nervous system.

The bee’s antenna is a sense organ.

Figure 8 shows a bee feeding on a flower.

Bees feed on sugar solution produced by the flowers of plants.

When an antenna of a bee touches sugar solution the bee automatically sticks out its tongue. This response is a reflex action.

Describe the nervous pathway for the reflex action.

Some species of flowers produce sugar solution that contains the chemical caffeine.

A scientist investigated the effect of caffeine on the feeding behaviour of bees.

The investigation was carried out in a laboratory.

This is the method used.

1. Feed 15 newly hatched bees on sugar solution for 24 hours.

2. Release the bees.

3. Record the number of visits made by the bees to a feeder containing sugar solution in 3 hours.

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for a further 2 days.

The scientist then took another 15 newly hatched bees and repeated the same method using a sugar and caffeine solution.

Table 5 shows the results.

The scientist controlled the concentration of the solutions.

Give one other variable that should have been a control variable in the investigation.

The scientist concluded that:

‘Caffeine affects the feeding behaviour of bees.’

Evaluate the scientist’s conclusion.

Use data from Table 5 and information from the method.

There are many different types of cell in the human body.

Each type of body cell is specialised for a different function.

Draw one line from each type of cell to the function of that cell.

Figure 1 shows a doctor testing a reflex action of a patient.

When the doctor touches the patient’s foot with a blunt rod, the patient’s toes curl.

Where are the receptors in this reflex action?

Tick (✓) one box.

In the brain

In the foot

In the leg

What is the coordinator in this reflex action?

Tick (✓) one box.

The blunt rod

The central nervous system

The sensory neurone

What is the response in this reflex action?

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Feeling the blunt rod

The blunt rod touching the skin

The toes curling

Muscle cells use oxygen for respiration.

Explain why muscle cells need to respire.

It is important to keep our feet healthy.

Figure 9 shows a doctor testing a reflex action of a patient.

When the doctor touches the patient’s foot with a blunt rod, the patient’s toes curl.

Describe the pathway of this reflex action.

Sometimes runners tie their shoelaces too tightly.

Tight shoes can cause muscle pain part-way through a long run.

Explain why the muscle pain starts part-way through the run.

Four students investigated their reaction times.

Figure 7 shows the equipment the students used.

This is the method used.

1. Place one foot on the pedal.

2. When the light turns on, press the pedal as quickly as possible.

3. Record the time shown on the datalogger.

4. Repeat steps 1 to 3 another three times.

5. Repeat steps 1 to 4 with each student.

Figure 8 shows information about the coordination of the action in this investigation.

What is stimulus A in Figure 8 ?

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What is coordinator B in Figure 8 ?

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What is the response C in Figure 8 ?

Table 5 shows the results for each student.

Draw a ring around the anomalous result for student D in Table 5.

What should the students do with the anomalous result?

Suggest what might cause an anomalous result in this reaction time investigation.

Give two conclusions about reaction time from the results in Table 5.

Suggest two ways the investigation could be improved to produce valid results.

Two 18-year-old male students measured their reaction times.

The students used two methods, Method 1 and Method 2.

Method 1

1. Sit in front of a tablet computer.

2. When the tablet makes a sound, touch the tablet screen as quickly as possible.

3. Record the reaction time shown on the tablet.

4. Repeat steps 1 to 3 another two times.

Method 2

1. Hold a metre rule so the bottom of the rule is level with the top of the other student’s thumb.

2. Let go of the metre rule.

3. The other student catches the metre rule.

4. Record the position of the student’s thumb on the metre rule.

5. Convert the position on the metre rule to a reaction time using a conversion table.

6. Repeat steps 1 to 5 another two times.

Table 4 shows the results.

Student A and student B had different reaction times.

Suggest two reasons why student A ’s reaction time was longer than student B ’s reaction time.

Give two reasons why Method 1 would give more accurate results than Method 2.

In Method 1 the students react to a sound.

In Method 2 the students react when they see the metre rule drop.

A sound wave is a longitudinal wave.

Visible light is a transverse wave.

Describe the difference between a longitudinal wave and a transverse wave.

The nervous system coordinates reflex actions.

A person accidentally touches a hot object.

The person moves their hand away quickly.

Describe how information about the hot object is detected, and how the information reaches the muscles in the arm.