LS 7C MIDTERM 2 Study Guide Exam
and All Correct Answers 2026
Updated.
what happens when sound vibrations hit the tympanic membrane (eardrum)? - Answer
tympanic membrane vibrates, causes stapes to push oval window, oval window vibration pushes
fluid through cochlea
what happens once sound vibrations reach the cochlea? - Answer push basilar membrane up,
hair cells bend and depolarize, push tectorial membrane >> triggers neurotransmitter release
what do hair cell stereocilia bend against? - Answer the tectorial membrane
what happens to hair cells when the tectorial membrane bends downward? - Answer hair
cells repolarize after releasing neurotransmitters
what is the kinocilium? what happens when stereocilia bend toward it? - Answer the tallest
sterioilium
when others bend toward it - cell depolarizes, releases neurotransmitters
do all hair cells react to certain frequencies? - Answer no, each hair cell on basilar membrane
responds to a certain frequency
what happens to a hair cell when sound waves reach it and stereocilia bend? - Answer K+
channels on stereocilia open and depolarize the cell, action potential travels down, Ca2+ enters
and helps move vesicles with neurotransmitters out
do hair cells have action potentials? - Answer no! steriocilia bend and K+ rushes in, hair cell is
depolarized, releases neurotransmitters
what is endolymph? where is it found? - Answer fluid found in the inner ear
what is Meniere's disease? - Answer excess endolymph fluid in the inner ear, Van Gogh may
have had it
what part of the brain corresponds with hearing? sight? - Answer audition - temporal lobe
, sight - occipital lobe
describe the retina - Answer initial visual processing, photoreceptors (rods/cones) and nerve
cells here, inverts image
what is opsin and where is it found? what is retinal? - Answer protein on photoreceptor cells
that converts photon energy to electrical energy
contains retinal (light-absorbing pigment)
describe photoreceptors (rods/cones) in the dark. - Answer depolarized
membrane potential = -35, Na+ leaks in
*continuously releasing neurotransmitters (glutamate)
describe photoreceptors (rods/cones) when a light is turned on - Answer photon causes
retinal to change conformation (cis to trans), Na+ channels close
cell is hyperpolarized (no + charges entering)
*neurotransmitters no longer released
what do rods and cones synapse onto? describe the process - Answer rods/cones synapse
onto bipolar cells, which synapse onto ganglion cells, which fire action potential to optic nerve
describe bipolar cells in the dark. - Answer hyperpolarized (repressed), do not send signals to
ganglion cells
neurotransmitters from rods/cones hyperpolarize these cells
describe bipolar cells when a light is turned on. - Answer become depolarized (excited)
send neurotransmitters to ganglion cells
describe ganglion cells in the dark. - Answer hyperpolarized (not receiving any signal from
bipolar cells)
and All Correct Answers 2026
Updated.
what happens when sound vibrations hit the tympanic membrane (eardrum)? - Answer
tympanic membrane vibrates, causes stapes to push oval window, oval window vibration pushes
fluid through cochlea
what happens once sound vibrations reach the cochlea? - Answer push basilar membrane up,
hair cells bend and depolarize, push tectorial membrane >> triggers neurotransmitter release
what do hair cell stereocilia bend against? - Answer the tectorial membrane
what happens to hair cells when the tectorial membrane bends downward? - Answer hair
cells repolarize after releasing neurotransmitters
what is the kinocilium? what happens when stereocilia bend toward it? - Answer the tallest
sterioilium
when others bend toward it - cell depolarizes, releases neurotransmitters
do all hair cells react to certain frequencies? - Answer no, each hair cell on basilar membrane
responds to a certain frequency
what happens to a hair cell when sound waves reach it and stereocilia bend? - Answer K+
channels on stereocilia open and depolarize the cell, action potential travels down, Ca2+ enters
and helps move vesicles with neurotransmitters out
do hair cells have action potentials? - Answer no! steriocilia bend and K+ rushes in, hair cell is
depolarized, releases neurotransmitters
what is endolymph? where is it found? - Answer fluid found in the inner ear
what is Meniere's disease? - Answer excess endolymph fluid in the inner ear, Van Gogh may
have had it
what part of the brain corresponds with hearing? sight? - Answer audition - temporal lobe
, sight - occipital lobe
describe the retina - Answer initial visual processing, photoreceptors (rods/cones) and nerve
cells here, inverts image
what is opsin and where is it found? what is retinal? - Answer protein on photoreceptor cells
that converts photon energy to electrical energy
contains retinal (light-absorbing pigment)
describe photoreceptors (rods/cones) in the dark. - Answer depolarized
membrane potential = -35, Na+ leaks in
*continuously releasing neurotransmitters (glutamate)
describe photoreceptors (rods/cones) when a light is turned on - Answer photon causes
retinal to change conformation (cis to trans), Na+ channels close
cell is hyperpolarized (no + charges entering)
*neurotransmitters no longer released
what do rods and cones synapse onto? describe the process - Answer rods/cones synapse
onto bipolar cells, which synapse onto ganglion cells, which fire action potential to optic nerve
describe bipolar cells in the dark. - Answer hyperpolarized (repressed), do not send signals to
ganglion cells
neurotransmitters from rods/cones hyperpolarize these cells
describe bipolar cells when a light is turned on. - Answer become depolarized (excited)
send neurotransmitters to ganglion cells
describe ganglion cells in the dark. - Answer hyperpolarized (not receiving any signal from
bipolar cells)
