Question

You are going for your morning run and suddenly a mean looking dog starts barking and chasing you. Your heart rate increases and your attention is focused on getting away. What part of your nervous system has just been activated? a. parasympathetic b. somatic C. central d. sympathetic

Answer 1

The sympathetic nervous system is activated when you are chased by a dog, leading to a 'fight or flight' response and various physiological changes that prepare your body to handle the threat. The correct answer is d.

Step-by-step explanation:

When faced with a mean looking dog barking and chasing you, causing an increased heart rate and focused attention to escape, the part of your nervous system that has been activated is the sympathetic nervous system. This system is responsible for the 'fight or flight' response, preparing your body to face a potential threat.

Activation of the sympathetic nervous system rapidly causes physiological changes such as dilation of pupils, increased heart rate and blood pressure, relaxation of the bladder, release of glucose by the liver, and a surge of adrenaline into the bloodstream, which are all adaptive reactions increasing chances of survival during stressful situations. Hence the correct answer is d.