Practice question
Question
Which part of the neuron acquires information from the environment?
Explanation
the nervous system is fundamental to how complex animals respond to their environment. This system comprises a vast network of nerve cells or neurons, which are specially adapted to carry messages rapidly throughout the body. Information from the environment is first detected by specialized tips called receptors, located in our sense organs such as the inner ear, nose, tongue, and skin. For instance, gustatory receptors specifically detect taste while olfactory receptors are tuned to detect smell. The signals travel across the neuronal network as electrical impulses. When an impulse reaches the end of an axon, it triggers the release of chemical substances that cross the synapse to start a similar electrical impulse in the dendrite of the next neuron. This precise mechanism allows organisms to react to stimuli. Therefore, the dendrite is the correct answer as it forms the specialized tip that directly acquires the external information.