Question

71. When the molecules of a skunk's spray enter your nose, the molecules are transformed into electrical signals, or impulses, that are interpreted by the brain as an unpleasant odor. This is an example of:

(A) Adaptation
(B) Transduction
(C) Sensation
(D) Perception
(E) Stimulation

Answer 1

(B) Transduction is the process by which olfactory receptors convert odor molecules into neural signals. This involves a signal cascade and the generation of an action potential that the brain interprets as a specific odor.

Step-by-step explanation:

When the molecules of a skunk's spray are detected by the olfactory receptors in the nose, this is an example of transduction. Transduction is the process by which sensory receptors convert physical or chemical stimuli into neural signals that the brain can interpret. The specific receptors in the olfactory epithelium bind the odor molecules, which leads to a series of events that ultimately result in an electrical impulse being sent to the olfactory bulb in the brain. This electrical impulse is the signal that the brain interprets as an unpleasant odor.

The mechanism for transmission of information begins with the reception of the odorant molecule by a sensory receptor specific to it. The binding of the molecule activates the receptor, which triggers a signal cascade. This cascade can involve positive feedback mechanisms that amplify the initial signal, increasing the response of the cell and leading to the generation of an action potential. This action potential travels along the afferent neuron to the central nervous system where it is processed as the perception of an unpleasant smell.