Final answer:
The correct term for the least amount of sensation that a person perceives as painful is 'pain threshold.' It involves the minimum stimulus energy required for detection and is related to the function of nociceptors in response to potentially damaging stimuli.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term pain threshold, also called pain perception, is the least amount of sensation that a person perceives as painful. It refers to the minimum amount of stimulus energy required to be detected 50% of the time. Nociception, which responds to injured stimuli, is a sensory process that signals potential damage to the body and involves nociceptors that are specialized for sensing painful stimuli. Sensations such as pain and temperature are transduced by nociceptors and thermoreceptors, which respond to mechanical, chemical, or thermal stimuli that are potentially damaging. Pain perception is an essential aspect of the somatosensory system, helping to protect the body from harm.