Question

Suppose you are taking a nice, relaxing walk in the woods and happen to stumble across a grumpy bear. Which division of the nervous system would be most directly involved with your elevated heart rate upon this discovery?

A. Sympathetic nervous system (SNS)
B. Parasympathetic nervous system (PNS)
C. Central nervous system (CNS)
D. Somatic nervous system (SNS)

Answer 1

The Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) is responsible for the elevated heart rate when encountering a bear, as it activates the body's 'fight or flight' response.

Step-by-step explanation:

If you stumbled across a grumpy bear during a walk in the woods and experienced an elevated heart rate, the division of the nervous system that would be most directly involved is the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS). The SNS is responsible for the 'fight or flight' response during stressful situations. When activated, it prepares the body to either confront or flee from a threat.

This activation results in physiological changes such as an accelerated heart rate, increased sweating, dilation of pupils, and heightened muscle readiness, essentially preparing you for rapid action.