Question
(a) What is nerve? (b) What is its function?
Answer
a) A nerve is a bundle of axons (long, slender projections of neurons) that are wrapped in connective tissue and serve as the communication pathway of the nervous system.
b) Functions of nerve:
- Transmits electrical signals (nerve impulses) between the brain, spinal cord, and other parts of the body, such as muscles, glands, and organs.
- Sensory nerves transmit signals from sensory receptors (such as those in the skin, eyes, and ears) to the central nervous system.
- Motor nerves transmit signals from the central nervous system to muscles and glands, causing them to contract or secrete.
- Mixed nerves contain both sensory and motor fibers and can transmit signals in both directions.
