Control and Information Processing

Control and Information Processing

Middle School

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Learning Objectives

• Explain that the body is a system of interacting subsystems with specialized parts.

• Describe the parts and jobs of the central and peripheral nervous systems.

• Explain how receptor cells detect stimuli for our five senses.

• Analyze how the nervous system processes sensory information to create a response.

Key Vocabulary

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Cell

A cell is the smallest, most basic unit of life in all living things.

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Tissue

A tissue is a group of similar cells that work together to perform a specific job.

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Organ

An organ is a structure made of different tissues that work together to do a specific task.

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System

An organ system is a group of organs that cooperate to perform major functions in the body.

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Cell Membrane

The cell membrane is a thin layer that surrounds a cell, controlling what enters and leaves.

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Nervous System

The nervous system is the body's main control system that gathers and processes information from inside.

Key Vocabulary

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Neuron

A neuron is a special type of nerve cell that sends messages in the body.

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CNS

The Central Nervous System (CNS) is made up of the brain and the spinal cord.

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PNS

The Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) is the network of nerves outside the brain and spinal cord.

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Chemoreceptor

A chemoreceptor is a specialized sensory cell that detects chemical stimuli, like taste and smell.

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Photoreceptor

A photoreceptor is a specialized type of neuron found in the retina that detects light.

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Auditory Receptor

An auditory receptor is a sensory cell in the ear that detects sound waves for hearing.

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What is the Nervous System?

• The nervous system gathers, processes, and responds to all information.

• ​Specialized cells called neurons are its basic functioning units.

• Sense receptors respond to stimuli and send signals to the brain.

• The brain is the body’s central command hub for information.

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Multiple Choice

What is the main function of the nervous system?

• To gather, process, and respond to information

• To pump blood and oxygen through the body

• To break down food and absorb nutrients

• To provide the body with structure and support

Multiple Choice

What is the relationship between the nervous system and neurons?

• Neurons are the specialized cells that make up the nervous system.

• Neurons are responsible for responding directly to stimuli.

• The brain is made of sense receptors, not neurons.

• Neurons function as the body's central command hub.

Multiple Choice

Which statement best explains how the parts of the nervous system work together to handle information?

• Sense receptors detect a stimulus and send a signal through neurons to the brain for processing.

• The brain detects a stimulus and sends a signal through neurons to the sense receptors.

• Neurons detect a stimulus and send a signal to the brain and sense receptors at the same time.

• Sense receptors process information and then send a response directly to the body.

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The Body: A System of Systems

• The body is a system of multiple interacting subsystems working together.

• ​Specialized cells form tissues, which then come together to form organs.

• Organs work together in systems, such as the nervous system.

• The nervous system interacts with muscular, digestive, and respiratory systems.

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Multiple Choice

Which statement best describes the overall structure of the human body?

• A system of multiple interacting subsystems working together.

• A collection of organs that work independently from each other.

• A structure made up only of specialized cells.

• A single, large system controlled only by the nervous system.

Multiple Choice

What is the correct order of organization that leads to the formation of organs?

• Organs group together to form different types of tissues.

• Tissues are formed directly from organ systems.

• Specialized cells form tissues, which then group to form organs.

• A single specialized cell grows into a complete organ.

Multiple Choice

If a person decides to start running, what must happen within the body for this action to be successful?

• The nervous system must interact with other systems, like the muscular and respiratory systems.

• Only the muscular system is needed, as other systems work separately.

• The digestive system works harder, while the respiratory system rests.

• The nervous system acts alone to control all body functions without help.

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The Cell: The Nervous System's Basic Unit

• The cell is the nervous system's basic unit, containing special parts called organelles.

• The nucleus is the cell's control center, directing all of its activities.

• Mitochondria are the cell’s powerhouses, creating energy for the cell to use.

• The cell membrane controls what enters and leaves, which is vital for signals.

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Multiple Choice

What is a cell in the context of the nervous system?

• The basic unit of the nervous system

• The part of the body that creates energy

• The control center of the brain

• The powerhouse of the entire body

Multiple Choice

Which statement best describes the different roles of the nucleus and mitochondria in a cell?

• The nucleus directs the cell's activities, while the mitochondria provide it with energy.

• The nucleus provides the cell with energy, while the mitochondria direct its activities.

• The nucleus controls what enters the cell, while the mitochondria store information.

• The nucleus creates signals, while the mitochondria send them to other cells.

Multiple Choice

If a cell's membrane was damaged and could no longer control what enters and leaves, what would be the most likely consequence?

• The cell would not be able to properly regulate the signals it sends and receives.

• The cell would immediately run out of energy and stop working.

• The cell would lose its main control center for directing activities.

• The cell would create too many new organelles and grow too large.

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Divisions of the Nervous System

Central Nervous System

• The Central Nervous System (CNS) is primarily made up of the brain and the spinal cord.

• Its main job is to receive, process, store, and then transfer information to other body parts.

• The spinal cord acts as a pathway, sending information between the brain and the rest of the body.

Peripheral Nervous System

• The Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) consists mainly of sensory neurons and motor neurons.

• It is responsible for transmitting information between the CNS and all other parts of your body.

• This network of nerves connects your brain and spinal cord to your limbs and vital organs.

Multiple Choice

What are the two main divisions of the nervous system?

• The Central Nervous System and the Peripheral Nervous System

• The brain and the spinal cord

• Sensory neurons and motor neurons

• The limbs and the vital organs

Multiple Choice

What is the relationship between the Central Nervous System (CNS) and the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)?

• The PNS transmits information to the CNS, which then processes it.

• The CNS processes information and the PNS stores it.

• The PNS and CNS both transmit information to the brain.

• The CNS connects to limbs and the PNS connects to vital organs.

Multiple Choice

Based on the roles described, what would likely happen if a person's spinal cord was damaged?

• Information might not be able to travel between the brain and the limbs.

• The brain would take over the job of the spinal cord.

• Motor neurons would begin to process information directly.

• The body would rely only on the Peripheral Nervous System.

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The Chemical Senses: Taste and Smell

The Sense of Smell

• Your sense of smell is a chemical sense that uses special cells in your nose.

• These chemoreceptors detect different chemical molecules that are floating in the air you breathe in.

• Your brain receives signals from these receptors and interprets them as different kinds of odors.

The Sense of Taste

• Your sense of taste is also a chemical sense that uses chemoreceptors on the tongue.

• These important chemoreceptors are located inside the tiny bumps on your tongue called taste buds.

• They detect the chemicals present in the various foods and drinks that you consume every day.

Multiple Choice

Why are the senses of taste and smell referred to as 'chemical senses'?

• They both use special cells to detect chemical molecules.

• They are both located in the exact same part of the head.

• They both protect the body from dangerous vibrations.

• They are only used to sense things that are far away.

Multiple Choice

What is the main difference in how the chemoreceptors for taste and smell work?

• Taste receptors are in the nose, while smell receptors are on the tongue.

• Taste receptors detect chemicals in food, while smell receptors detect chemicals in the air.

• Taste receptors are for liquids, while smell receptors are for solids.

• Taste receptors send signals to the stomach, while smell receptors send signals to the lungs.

Multiple Choice

When you have a stuffy nose from a cold, food often seems to have less flavor. What is the best explanation for this?

• The brain interprets signals from both the nose and tongue to create the full experience of flavor.

• A cold virus completely stops the taste buds on the tongue from working.

• The chemicals in food are blocked from reaching the tongue.

• The air in the room is too cold for the smell receptors to work properly.

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The Mechanical Senses: Touch and Hearing

Touch

• Your sense of touch uses special receptors in the skin that detect inputs from the environment.

• These receptors can identify different sensations, including things like temperature, pain, and pressure.

• This important information is then sent as messages to the brain to be processed and understood.

Hearing

• The sense of hearing works by detecting the vibration of matter, which creates sound waves.

• These sound waves are detected by special auditory receptors that are located deep inside your ears.

• The inner ear is also a very important part of the body for helping you maintain balance.

Multiple Choice

What is the primary function of the mechanical senses, like touch and hearing?

• They use special receptors to detect physical inputs from the environment.

• They both rely on chemical reactions to understand the world.

• They are responsible for creating light and sound waves.

• They send messages from the brain to the skin and ears.

Multiple Choice

How does your nervous system distinguish between different types of touch, such as pain and pressure?

• The brain sends out different types of energy to the skin.

• Receptors in the skin detect a specific sensation and send a corresponding message to the brain.

• All sensations are processed in the skin before reaching the brain.

• The temperature of the skin determines the message sent to the brain.

Multiple Choice

If a person had a medical condition that damaged their inner ear, what two effects would they most likely experience?

• The person would likely have difficulty hearing and maintaining their balance.

• The person's sense of touch would become more sensitive to pressure.

• The person would only be able to hear very loud vibrations.

• The person's brain would stop processing information from their skin.

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How Your Eyes See

• Light enters the eye through the cornea, which starts to bend the light.

• The iris controls the pupil's size, managing the amount of light let in.

• The lens focuses light onto the retina, where photoreceptors convert it to signals.

• Signals travel via the optic nerve to the brain, which creates the image.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following shows the correct path light takes to become an image?

• Cornea, lens, retina, optic nerve

• Lens, cornea, optic nerve, retina

• Retina, optic nerve, lens, cornea

• Optic nerve, brain, cornea, lens

Multiple Choice

What is the specific role of the retina in the process of sight?

• It focuses light rays onto a single point.

• It controls how much light is allowed to enter.

• It converts light into electric signals.

• It carries signals from the eye to the brain.

Multiple Choice

If the optic nerve were damaged, what would be the most likely result?

• The lens would not be able to focus the light correctly.

• The amount of light entering the eye could not be controlled.

• An image would not be created because signals are not sent to the brain.

• Light would be unable to enter the eye through the cornea.

How Plants Respond to Stimuli

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Response to Light

• ​Plants will slowly grow and bend toward a source of light.

• ​​This important response helps the plant to get enough sunlight.

• ​The process is essential for the plant to make its food.

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Response to Touch

• ​Some plants can respond very quickly when they are touched.

• ​​A Venus flytrap has special hairs inside its unique leaves.

• ​It will snap its trap shut when an insect touches them.

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Response to Gravity

• ​Plants can sense the pull of gravity and react to it.

• ​​A plant's roots always grow downward in the direction of gravity.

• ​The stem of the plant grows upward, away from gravity's pull.

Multiple Choice

What is the main purpose of a plant's ability to respond to light, touch, and gravity?

• To help the plant survive by getting what it needs to live and grow.

• To allow the plant to move from one location to another.

• To protect the plant from changing weather conditions.

• To help the plant communicate with other plants nearby.

Multiple Choice

How does a plant's response to light differ from its response to gravity?

• The stem grows upward toward the light, while the roots grow downward in the direction of gravity.

• The roots grow upward toward the light, while the stem grows downward in the direction of gravity.

• Both the stem and the roots grow upward to get closer to the light source.

• Both the stem and the roots grow downward to get away from the light source.

Multiple Choice

If a potted plant is knocked over and left on its side in a room with a single window, what will most likely happen to the plant's stem and roots over time?

• The stem will bend upward toward the window, and the roots will grow downward.

• The stem will bend downward, and the roots will grow upward toward the pot's new top.

• The stem and roots will both continue to grow straight out from the side.

• The plant will stop growing because it is confused by the new position.

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Common Misconceptions

Misconception	Correction
Body systems work in isolation.	Body systems constantly interact to carry out functions for life.
Your nervous system is just your brain.	The nervous system includes the brain, spinal cord, and all nerves.
Taste only comes from your tongue.	The sense of smell works with taste to create flavor.
Plants do not react to their environment.	Plants respond to light, gravity, and even touch.

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Summary

• The body is a system of interacting subsystems, organized from cells to organs.

• The nervous system, using specialized neurons, is the body's main command center.

• Our senses detect stimuli with receptor cells, and the brain interprets these signals.

• This allows us to learn and react, and plants also respond to environmental stimuli.

Poll

On a scale of 1-4, how confident are you about explaining how the nervous system and senses work together?

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4