The Nervous SystemEssential question: What is the nervous

system and how does it work?

What is the nervous system composed of?

• Brain • Spinal Cord • Nerves • Sense Organs • Receptors

Fun facts first!

What’s it made of?

• 77% Water • 10-12% Lipids • 8% Protein • 1% Carbs • 2% Soluble Organics • 1% Inorganic Salt

There are…

• 100 Billion Neurons in the Human Brain

About The same amount…

• Of Stars in the Sky

The left hemisphere has…

• 186 million more neurons than the right hemisphere.

750-1000ml of blood flow…

• through the brain every minute. • This is about 3 full soda cans!

The brain can stay alive…

• 4-6 minutes without oxygen!

The slowest neurons in the brain…

• travel at 260 MPH. • As “slow” as today’s fastest car!

(Clocked at 253 MPH)

More electrical impulses…

• Are generated in one day by a single human brain than all the telephones in the world.

The human brain has…

• 70,000 thoughts in an average day.

FUNCTIONS OF THE BRAIN

(or noodle)

• Creativity • Imagination • Artists • Dreamers • Visual

Spatial

• Logical • Mathematical • Linguistic • Speech

Left vs. right

How does the

brain communicate with

the rest of the body?

neurons

Sensory Neurons

• Specialized to detect senses • Example: pressure or heat

Motor neurons

• Impulses that signal muscle contractions… motion.

interneurons

• Connect with other neurons.

Quiz Time!

Rules:• Use your neurons to answer the following

questions in your notes. • When you are done, I will feed your sensory

organs.

Part of the nervous system that starts with a “B”

#1

Name that neuron:

(The connection of neurons)

#2

Two Parts of the nervous system that start with an “s”

#3

Name that Neuron:

(Senses heat)#4

Part of the nervous system that starts with an “N”

#5

Part of the nervous system that starts with an “R”

#6

Name that Neuron:

#7

Name that Neuron:

#8