Sensory systems convert stimuli into nervous-system activity. Receptors respond selectively to light, vibration, pressure or chemicals. Neurons transmit information using electrical activity and chemical communication between cells. The brain interprets patterns of incoming signals; an image or sound does not physically travel intact along a nerve as a little object.
The human body · Discover & try
How does a stimulus become information?
Reading level 3 of 5 · IndependentChange
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Stimulus
An input that a receptor can detect.
Neuron
A nerve cell that communicates information.
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See how it works
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A route map, not a complete brain diagram. Moving dots indicate signal progression; they are not objects carried inside nerves.
What to look for
- Switch the stimulus.
- Keep stimulus, receptor and signal separate.
Explain what you noticed
A smell molecule reaches a suitable receptor in the nose. What begins next?
Keep this idea: Receptors convert stimuli into signals that the nervous system can process.
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