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1.1 identify the role of receptors in detecting stimuli
identify the role of receptors in detecting stimuli
- A stimulus is a change in the environment. Examples of stimuli include light, sound, temperature, pressure, pain and certain chemicals.
- A receptor is a specialised cell that detects a stimulus. As a result a nerve impulse may be generated or a hormone produced. There is a range of receptor cells adapted to detecting specific stimuli, e.g. rods and cones in the eye. Sometimes receptors are distributed all over the body, such as touch receptors in the skin. In other cases, particular receptors are concentrated in an organ, such as the eye, or an endocrine gland such as the adrenal gland.