Information Processing in Animals Vocab

Front

What is a stimulus?

Back

Something in the environment that causes a living thing to respond.

Front

What are sensory organs?

Back

Eyes, nose, tongue, and skin that help us perceive the environment.

Front

What is a peripheral nerve?

Back

A nerve that is not part of the central nervous system and receives sensory information from cells in the body.

Front

What is perception?

Back

The ability to see, hear, or become aware of something through the senses.

Front

What is the nervous system?

Back

The set of organs that use information from the senses to control all body systems.

Front

What is the central nervous system?

Back

The part of the nervous system that includes the brain and spinal cord.

Front

What is a reflex?

Back

An automatic response to a stimulus that does not involve conscious thought.

Front

What role do sensory organs play?

Back

They gather information from the environment and send it to the brain.

Front

What is the function of the spinal column?

Back

It protects the spinal cord and supports the body.

Front

What is echolocation?

Back

A method used by some animals to locate objects by reflecting sound waves.