Final answer:
Steroid hormones take longer to generate change when they bind to intracellular receptors because they need to cross the plasma membrane, bind to specific segments of DNA, and trigger gene expression. This process of transcription and protein synthesis takes time.
Step-by-step explanation:
Steroid hormones take longer to generate change when they bind to intracellular receptors because they need to cross the plasma membrane and interact with internal receptors located in the cytoplasm or nucleus. These hormones are lipid-derived and can diffuse directly across the cell membrane. Once inside the cell, the hormone-receptor complex binds to specific segments of DNA, triggering transcription and protein synthesis. This process of gene expression takes time, which is why the effects of steroid hormones are not immediate.