How the nervous system works
This diagram summarises how information flows from receptors to effectors in the nervous system.
Receptors
Receptors are groups of specialised cells. They can detect a change in the environment (Any change in the environment that can be detected by receptors in an organism.) and produce electrical impulses in response. Sense organs contain groups of receptors that respond to specific Something that sets off a reaction in the nervous system, for example, light, heat, sound, gravity, smell, taste, or temperature. These changes in the environment are detected by receptors in an organism. The plural is stimuli..
| Sense organ | Stimulus |
| Skin | Touch, temperature |
| Tongue | Chemicals (in food and drink, for example) |
| Nose | Chemicals (in the air, for example) |
| Eye | Light |
| Ear | Sound |
| Sense organ | Skin |
|---|---|
| Stimulus | Touch, temperature |
| Sense organ | Tongue |
|---|---|
| Stimulus | Chemicals (in food and drink, for example) |
| Sense organ | Nose |
|---|---|
| Stimulus | Chemicals (in the air, for example) |
| Sense organ | Eye |
|---|---|
| Stimulus | Light |
| Sense organ | Ear |
|---|---|
| Stimulus | Sound |
Effectors
Effectors are parts of the body - such as muscles and glands - that produce a response to a detected stimulus. For example:
- a muscle contracting to move an arm
- muscle squeezing saliva from the salivary gland
- a gland releasing a Chemical messenger produced in glands and carried by the blood to specific organs in the body. into the blood
This diagram summarises how information flows from receptors to effectors in the nervous system.