Final answer:
When the epidermis is burned, nociceptors, which are a type of free nerve endings that act as pain receptors, are most likely to receive damage and cause the sensation of pain.
Step-by-step explanation:
If you were to burn your epidermis, the receptor type that would most likely receive damage are the nociceptors. Nociceptors are sensitive to potentially damaging stimuli such as heat from a burn. These receptors, sometimes referred to as pain receptors, are found throughout the body including the skin, muscles, and other tissues. When activated by stressful or damaging situations, such as a burn, they trigger the sensation of pain. In the context of the skin, free nerve endings act as nociceptors and are the most common nerve endings in the epidermis, making them highly susceptible to damage from a burn. These free nerve endings are slow to adjust to stimuli and can transduce both temperature and pain signals.