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Nervous system and reflex arc
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Created by
Holly Brunt
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Nerve cell
Also called a
neuron
Nerve cell
Long
Thin
Lots of
branch
connections to either end
Adapted to carry
electrical impulses
from one point to another
Synapse
Connection between
nerve cells
where electrical impulses are converted to chemical signals to pass between
cells
Nerve cell communication
1.
Electrical
impulse hits
end
of nerve
2. Causes
release
of chemicals
3. Chemicals
diffuse
across gap to next nerve
cell
4. Triggers another
electrical
impulse
5. Impulse continues along new
neuron
Central nervous system
Made up of
brain
and
spinal cord
Where
'thinking'
takes place
Receives
sensory
information
Sends out
orders
to the rest of the body
Sensory neurons
Carry information from
receptors
all over the body to the
central nervous system
Motor neurons
Carry impulses from the central nervous system to
effectors
(muscles or glands)
Reflex arc
Nerve pathway that
underlies unconscious
reflexes
Reflex arc
1. Stimulus detected by
receptor
cells
2. Sensory neuron carries impulse to
spinal cord
3. Relay neuron transfers impulse to
motor neuron
4. Motor neuron carries impulse to effector (
muscle
) to cause
movement