LIFESCI 7C MIDTERM 2 Most Recent exam COMPLETE
(2026) EXAM Questions and Answers (Verified Answers)
(Latest Update 2026) UPDATE!!
what happens when sound vibrations hit the tympanic membrane (eardrum)? -
CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ tympanic membrane vibrates, causes stapes to
push oval window, oval window vibration pushes fluid through cochlea
what happens once sound vibrations reach the cochlea? - CORRECT ANSWER
✔✔✔✔✔ push basilar membrane up, hair cells bend and depolarize, push tectorial
membrane >> triggers neurotransmitter release
what do hair cell stereocilia bend against? - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ the
tectorial membrane
what happens to hair cells when the tectorial membrane bends downward? -
CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ hair cells repolarize after releasing
neurotransmitters
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EXAMPREPMASTER
,what is the kinocilium? what happens when stereocilia bend toward it? - CORRECT
ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ the tallest sterioilium
when others bend toward it - cell depolarizes, releases neurotransmitters
do all hair cells react to certain frequencies? - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ no,
each hair cell on basilar membrane responds to a certain frequency
what happens to a hair cell when sound waves reach it and stereocilia bend? -
CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ K+ channels on stereocilia open and depolarize
the cell, action potential travels down, Ca2+ enters and helps move vesicles with
neurotransmitters out
do hair cells have action potentials? - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ no!
steriocilia bend and K+ rushes in, hair cell is depolarized, releases neurotransmitters
what is endolymph? where is it found? - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ fluid
found in the inner ear
what is Meniere's disease? - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ excess endolymph
fluid in the inner ear, Van Gogh may have had it
what part of the brain corresponds with hearing? sight? - CORRECT ANSWER
✔✔✔✔✔ audition - temporal lobe
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sight - occipital lobe
EXAMPREPMASTER
,describe the retina - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ initial visual processing,
photoreceptors (rods/cones) and nerve cells here, inverts image
what is opsin and where is it found? what is retinal? - CORRECT ANSWER
✔✔✔✔✔ protein on photoreceptor cells that converts photon energy to electrical
energy
contains retinal (light-absorbing pigment)
describe photoreceptors (rods/cones) in the dark. - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔
depolarized
membrane potential = -35, Na+ leaks in
*continuously releasing neurotransmitters (glutamate)
describe photoreceptors (rods/cones) when a light is turned on - CORRECT
ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ photon causes retinal to change conformation (cis to trans),
Na+ channels close
cell is hyperpolarized (no + charges entering)
*neurotransmitters no longer released
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EXAMPREPMASTER
, what do rods and cones synapse onto? describe the process - CORRECT ANSWER
✔✔✔✔✔ rods/cones synapse onto bipolar cells, which synapse onto ganglion cells,
which fire action potential to optic nerve
describe bipolar cells in the dark. - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ hyperpolarized
(repressed), do not send signals to ganglion cells
neurotransmitters from rods/cones hyperpolarize these cells
describe bipolar cells when a light is turned on. - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔
become depolarized (excited)
send neurotransmitters to ganglion cells
describe ganglion cells in the dark. - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔
hyperpolarized (not receiving any signal from bipolar cells)
describe ganglion cells when a light is turned on. - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔
they receive signals from ganglion cells, and become depolarized
start firing action potentials
what is a single muscle cell known as? - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ a muscle
fiber
4
Page
EXAMPREPMASTER
(2026) EXAM Questions and Answers (Verified Answers)
(Latest Update 2026) UPDATE!!
what happens when sound vibrations hit the tympanic membrane (eardrum)? -
CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ tympanic membrane vibrates, causes stapes to
push oval window, oval window vibration pushes fluid through cochlea
what happens once sound vibrations reach the cochlea? - CORRECT ANSWER
✔✔✔✔✔ push basilar membrane up, hair cells bend and depolarize, push tectorial
membrane >> triggers neurotransmitter release
what do hair cell stereocilia bend against? - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ the
tectorial membrane
what happens to hair cells when the tectorial membrane bends downward? -
CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ hair cells repolarize after releasing
neurotransmitters
1
Page
EXAMPREPMASTER
,what is the kinocilium? what happens when stereocilia bend toward it? - CORRECT
ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ the tallest sterioilium
when others bend toward it - cell depolarizes, releases neurotransmitters
do all hair cells react to certain frequencies? - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ no,
each hair cell on basilar membrane responds to a certain frequency
what happens to a hair cell when sound waves reach it and stereocilia bend? -
CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ K+ channels on stereocilia open and depolarize
the cell, action potential travels down, Ca2+ enters and helps move vesicles with
neurotransmitters out
do hair cells have action potentials? - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ no!
steriocilia bend and K+ rushes in, hair cell is depolarized, releases neurotransmitters
what is endolymph? where is it found? - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ fluid
found in the inner ear
what is Meniere's disease? - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ excess endolymph
fluid in the inner ear, Van Gogh may have had it
what part of the brain corresponds with hearing? sight? - CORRECT ANSWER
✔✔✔✔✔ audition - temporal lobe
2
Page
sight - occipital lobe
EXAMPREPMASTER
,describe the retina - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ initial visual processing,
photoreceptors (rods/cones) and nerve cells here, inverts image
what is opsin and where is it found? what is retinal? - CORRECT ANSWER
✔✔✔✔✔ protein on photoreceptor cells that converts photon energy to electrical
energy
contains retinal (light-absorbing pigment)
describe photoreceptors (rods/cones) in the dark. - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔
depolarized
membrane potential = -35, Na+ leaks in
*continuously releasing neurotransmitters (glutamate)
describe photoreceptors (rods/cones) when a light is turned on - CORRECT
ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ photon causes retinal to change conformation (cis to trans),
Na+ channels close
cell is hyperpolarized (no + charges entering)
*neurotransmitters no longer released
3
Page
EXAMPREPMASTER
, what do rods and cones synapse onto? describe the process - CORRECT ANSWER
✔✔✔✔✔ rods/cones synapse onto bipolar cells, which synapse onto ganglion cells,
which fire action potential to optic nerve
describe bipolar cells in the dark. - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ hyperpolarized
(repressed), do not send signals to ganglion cells
neurotransmitters from rods/cones hyperpolarize these cells
describe bipolar cells when a light is turned on. - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔
become depolarized (excited)
send neurotransmitters to ganglion cells
describe ganglion cells in the dark. - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔
hyperpolarized (not receiving any signal from bipolar cells)
describe ganglion cells when a light is turned on. - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔
they receive signals from ganglion cells, and become depolarized
start firing action potentials
what is a single muscle cell known as? - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ a muscle
fiber
4
Page
EXAMPREPMASTER
