Final answer:
Sensory receptors deliver information about a stimulus via graded receptor potentials and by varying the frequency of action potentials, which reflect the stimulus intensity. Thus, the answer is that both A) Receptor potentials are graded and B) Frequency of potentials varies with stimulus intensity are correct.
Step-by-step explanation:
For the majority of sensory receptors, they deliver information about the degree of a stimulus through two primary mechanisms:
- Receptor potentials are graded, meaning the magnitude of these potentials varies with the strength of the stimulus.
- The frequency of potentials varies with stimulus intensity, where an intense stimulus will produce a more rapid train of action potentials, and reducing the stimulus will likewise slow the rate of production of action potentials.
Therefore, the correct answer to the question is f) A and B, as both graded receptor potentials and varying frequency of action potentials contribute to the delivery of information regarding stimulus intensity. Sensory receptors such as mechanoreceptors are capable of responding to a stimulus by changing their electrical potential correlated to the pressure or disturbance they experience. This depolarization leads to the generation of action potentials if a threshold is surpassed. The more intense the stimulus, the higher the frequency of action potentials, enabling the central nervous system (CNS) to interpret the relative intensity of the stimulus and potentially produce a motor response.