Which statement best describes a sensory receptor?

Which statement best describes a sensory receptor?

• A. A brain area that interprets sensory input.
• B. Cells that respond to stimuli in the environment.
• C. A muscle fiber that contracts in response.
• D. A gland that releases hormones.

Answer: (B)

Sensory receptors are specialized cells or endings that detect a specific type of stimulus and convert that energy into an electrical signal the nervous system can use. That’s why describing them as cells that respond to stimuli in the environment is the best fit. The brain area that interprets sensory input is where perception occurs, not where the initial detection happens. A muscle fiber contracting is a motor response, not a detector of stimuli. A gland releasing hormones is part of the endocrine system, signaling changes through chemical messengers, not sensory transduction.

Sensory receptors are specialized cells or endings that detect a specific type of stimulus and convert that energy into an electrical signal the nervous system can use. That’s why describing them as cells that respond to stimuli in the environment is the best fit. The brain area that interprets sensory input is where perception occurs, not where the initial detection happens. A muscle fiber contracting is a motor response, not a detector of stimuli. A gland releasing hormones is part of the endocrine system, signaling changes through chemical messengers, not sensory transduction.