Inside the Human Brain
Instructions: Test what you know about memory, the senses' command center, and the most mysterious organ in the body.
- 1.
Roughly how much does the average adult human brain weigh?
AAbout 1 poundBAbout 3 poundsCAbout 5 poundsDAbout 7 pounds - 2.
What is the name of the brain's 'memory center' — the structure most responsible for forming new long-term memories?
ACerebellumBThalamusCHippocampusDMedulla - 3.
What percentage of the brain is made up of water?
AAbout 40%BAbout 55%CAbout 73%DAbout 90% - 4.
The left and right halves of the brain are connected by a thick bundle of nerve fibers. What is this structure called?
ACorpus callosumBBrain stemCCerebral cortexDBasal ganglia - 5.
Which part of the brain controls balance, coordination, and fine motor movements?
AFrontal lobeBCerebellumCAmygdalaDOccipital lobe - 6.
What are the basic working cells of the brain and nervous system called?
ADendritesBNeuronsCAxonsDSynapses - 7.
The brain's outermost layer — the wrinkled gray surface visible from outside — is called what?
AThe limbic systemBThe cerebral cortexCThe white matterDThe meninges - 8.
Which brain structure is sometimes called the 'emotional alarm system' because it processes fear and strong emotions?
AThalamusBPituitary glandCAmygdalaDHypothalamus - 9.
How fast can nerve signals travel along certain pathways in the human brain and nervous system?
AAbout 1 mile per hourBAbout 10 miles per hourCAbout 70 miles per hourDAbout 268 miles per hour - 10.
Which lobe of the brain is primarily responsible for processing what we see?
AFrontal lobeBTemporal lobeCParietal lobeDOccipital lobe - 11.
What substance forms a protective coating around many nerve fibers, speeding up signal transmission?
ASerotoninBMyelinCDopamineDCortisol - 12.
The brain never stops working — even while you sleep. During which sleep stage does the brain consolidate memories and 'replay' the day's events?
ALight sleep (Stage 1)BDeep slow-wave sleep (Stage 3)CWaking restDDaydreaming - 13.
Which chemical messenger in the brain is strongly linked to feelings of pleasure, reward, and motivation?
AMelatoninBInsulinCDopamineDAdrenaline - 14.
Approximately how many synaptic connections (junctions between neurons) does the adult human brain contain?
AAbout 1 millionBAbout 1 billionCAbout 100 billionDAbout 100 trillion - 15.
Which part of the brain regulates basic life functions such as breathing, heartbeat, and blood pressure?
AFrontal lobeBCerebellumCBrain stemDCorpus callosum