Final answer:
Encapsulated cutaneous receptors are primarily responsible for detecting mechanical stimuli such as touch, pressure, and vibration, though some, like Ruffini endings, may sense warmth. Thermoreceptors, including separate receptors for cold and warmth, and free nerve endings are the sensory modalities focused on detecting temperature changes and painful stimuli.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement "Encapsulated cutaneous receptors are used to detect thermal sensations" is false. Rather, encapsulated cutaneous receptors such as Meissner's corpuscles, Ruffini endings, and Pacinian corpuscles are primarily known for detecting different kinds of mechanical stimuli such as touch, pressure, and vibration. However, some encapsulated receptors like the Ruffini endings do indeed have a role in the detection of warmth, not general thermal sensations that include both warm and cold stimuli. Thermoreceptors, which include separate receptors for detecting cold and warmth, are the primary receptors used for sensing temperature changes. For example, Krause end bulbs are specialized for detecting sensations of cold.
Thermoreceptors are found in areas like the face and ears and have a high concentration. Free nerve endings, which include thermoreceptors and nociceptors, are responsible for the detection of temperature as well as painful stimuli. These sensory modalities use different receptors to transduce specific types of stimuli. Pain and extreme temperatures are detected by separate receptors than those used for mechanical stimuli.