The Eyes

• What is the speed of light?

  299,792,458 m/sec
• What does amplitude represent in light waves?

  Intensity
• What is the definition of wavelength?

  Distance between peaks
• How is frequency measured?

  In Hertz (Hz)
• What type of light can be emitted by the sun or lightbulbs?

  Visible light
• What is the range of electromagnetic radiation for visible light?

  Between 380 and 760 nm
• What is the outer coating of the front of the eye called?

  Cornea
• What is the sclera?

  White opaque outer coating of the eye
• What is the function of the pupil?

  It is the center hole in the iris which filters light
• What is the role of the lens in the eye?

  It is the focusing part of the eye
• What does the retina contain?

  Photoreceptors and neural circuitry
• Where does the center image fall in the eye?

  At the fovea
• What is the function of the optic nerve?

  It sends information from the retina to the brain
• What is the iris?

  The pigment in the eye visible through the cornea
• What is the anterior chamber of the eye?

  It is located between the cornea and the iris
• What do the anterior and posterior chambers contain?

  Aqueous (watery substance)
• Where is the posterior chamber located?

  Between the iris and the lens
• What does the vitreous chamber contain?

  Vitreous (clear jelly substance)
• What do extrinsic muscles control?

  Eye movement and position
• What do intrinsic muscles control?

  Near focusing and how much light enters the eye
• How does the lens of the eye adjust focus?

  By changing shape
• What is the retina made of?

  Photoreceptors
• What are rods responsible for?

  Low-light vision
• What are cones responsible for?

  Bright-light vision
• What process transforms photons into electrochemical energy in the retina?

  Phototransduction
• What happens to the photopigment molecule when it is hit by light?

  It splits
• What is the result of the split photopigment molecule?

  It activates photoreceptor cells and turns light waves into neural impulses
• What do retinal ganglion cells do?

  They summarize input from photoreceptors and carry the signal to the brain
• What is the blind spot in the eye?

  Area with no photoreceptors where the optic nerve leads to the brain
• How does the brain compensate for the blind spot?

  It fills in the information with estimations of what should be there