Sense Organs

1. Define the term sense organs and relate its importance.

A sense organ is an organ of the body which responds to external stimuli by

conveying impulses to the sensory nervous system.

Sense organs are important because they detect changes in the environment and
relays it to our nervous system.

2. Outline two functions of the five sense organs.

Sense Organ Function

Eye 1) Converts light to electric impulses for us
us to see.
2) Produce tears to supply nutrients to
the cornea, preventing infection and
healing damage to the eye.
Nose 1) Detects odours.
2) Helps in breathing.
Skin 1) Detects sensation example pain,
pressure and temperature.
2) Serves as a protection from invaders.
Ear 1) Detects sound waves.
2) Helps in balance.
Tongue 1) Detects tastes like sweet, sour, salty
and bitter.
2) Pushes the food to the back of the
mouth.

Table showing the functions of the sense organs

3. State the type of stimuli each organ detects and how it occurs.
Stimuli- Something that is done to an organ to have reaction. In other words, it is
a change in the environment.
Eye
The eye detects the stimulus of light. This occurs when you look at an object and the
light reflected from that object enters the eye. It passes through the cornea, which
is a transparent organ, then through the pupil, which is the black part of the eye.
The iris controls the amount of light entering the eye. The light then travels through
the lens which focuses on objects by changing its shape. The lens focuses it through
the vitreous humor which is a clear liquid, then to the retina, which has light
receptors called rods and cones which detects the light and sends it to the brain
through the optic nerve.

Nose
The nose detects the stimulus of scent. Odour enter the nose through two ways.
They are through the nostrils or behind the throat. The odour enters the nasal cavity
which has mucus and hairs to filter the air. The odour molecules land on the
epithelium which contains olfactory receptors that detect the smell and sends a
nerve impulse through the olfactory nerve to the brain saying what it smells.
Skin
The skin detects the stimulus of touch, pressure temperature and pain. The skin is
made up of three main parts, namely the dermis, the epidermis the hypodermis or
subcutaneous tissue. The skin detects pain via pain receptors found in the
epidermis. Temperature is detected by the thermoreceptors found in the dermis
and Pressure by mechanoreceptors.

Ear
The ear detects the stimulus of sound. Sound enters the Pinna or outer ear, then
through the ear canal in the middle ear .The sound vibrates the ear drum which
causes the malleus, incus and anvil to move (Auditory Ossicles). The bones vibrate
the cochlea which has a fluid that move when it vibrates .The cochlea also contains
hairs which change directions when the fluid moves and sends a nerve impulse
through the auditory nerve to the brain.
 Tongue
The tongue detects the stimulus of taste .The tongue is made up of papillae which
contains taste buds which contains hair called microvilli. The hair detects the taste
with the help of the nose which stimulates the taste buds. Nerve impulses are sent
to the brain where it is interpreted. Each part of the tongue respond to different
tastes.

4. Explain the term receptors and briefly outline the receptors in each sense organ.

A receptor is an organ that responds to stimulus.

Eye-The receptor of the eye are rods and cones. Rods detects black and white
light while cones detect coloured light.

Nose-The receptor of the nose is the olfactory receptors which allows odour
molecules to land on it and detect the smell.

Skin-The receptor for the skin is the cutaneous receptor. This is a type of
receptor that is found in the epidermis or dermis. There are three
types. They are mechanoreceptors (pressure), nociceptors (pain) and
thermoreceptors (temperature).

Ear-The receptor for the ear are the hair cells within the cochlea. The bones
vibrate the cochlea which has a fluid that move when it vibrates .The cochlea
contains hairs which change directions when the fluid moves and sends a
nerve impulse through the auditory nerve to the brain.

Tongue-The receptors for the tongue are present in the taste buds. There are
four types. They are sweet, sour, bitter and salty.
5. The eye is an important organ which aids in sight. However they are defects of the
eyes which affects vision.
a) Discuss the defects and correction of the eye.

 Myopia or Nearsighted
Defect
This is caused if the eyeball is too long. This causes light rays to focus at appoint
in front of the retina, rather than directly on its surface.
Corrections
Nearsightedness can be corrected with glasses, contact lenses or refractive
surgery.

 Hyperopia or Farsighted
Defect
This vision problem occurs when light rays entering the eye focus behind the
retina, rather than directly on it. The eyeball of a farsighted person is shorter
than normal.
Corrections
Farsightedness can be corrected with glasses or contact lenses to change the
way light rays bend into the eyes.

 Astigmatism
Defect
This is when the light rays do not come to single focal point on the retina,
instead some focus on the retina and some focus in front of or behind it. This is
usually caused by a non-uniform curvature of the cornea.
Correction
It can be corrected by using a special cylindrical lens; this is placed in the out-of
focus axis.

Conclusion
Sense organs are some of the most important organs of the body. They help us to
detect and react to changes in our environment. Without sense organs, we would
not be able to interact with our surroundings.