Reflex

High school (ages 12+)
Human Body

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/reflex

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the neural pathway?Reflex arcs, comprising sensory neurons, interneurons (optional), and motor neurons
2. What is the synaptic complexity?Short-latency reflexes are monosynaptic; long-latency reflexes are polysynaptic
3. Why do we have reflexes?Reflexes help keep us safe by letting us react super fast to danger, like pulling your hand away from a hot stove. They also help us stay balanced and move smoothly without having to think about every step.
4. How does a reflex work?When a sensor detects a stimulus, it sends a message along a sensory neuron to the spinal cord. There it meets a motor neuron (or an interneuron first) that sends a reply back to a muscle, causing the reflex action.

Reflex Arc: The neural pathway that mediates a reflex action, involving sensory input and motor output.
Monosynaptic Reflex: A reflex involving a single synapse between the sensory and motor neuron.
Polysynaptic Reflex: A reflex involving multiple synapses and one or more interneurons between sensory and motor neurons.