Chapter 21: Neural Control and Coordination – Very Short Answer Type Questions
CBSE Class 11 Biology Very Short Answer Questions – Neural Control and Coordination (NCERT)
Course & Examination Details
- Course: CBSE Class 11 Biology
- Prescribed By: Central Board of Secondary Education
- Based On: NCERT
- Unit: Unit V – Human Physiology
- Chapter: Chapter 21 – Neural Control and Coordination
- Question Type: Very Short Answer Questions (VSA)
- Answer Length: 20–30 words
- Exam Utility: CBSE Class 11 Annual Exam, Unit Tests, Periodic Assessments
Section A: Nervous System (Q1–Q15)
Q1. What is neural control?
Answer:
Neural control refers to regulation and coordination of body activities through nerve impulses transmitted by the nervous system.
Q2. Name the two main coordinating systems in humans.
Answer:
The nervous system and the endocrine system are the two main coordinating systems in humans.
Q3. State the main function of the nervous system.
Answer:
The nervous system receives stimuli, processes information, and transmits responses to maintain coordination and homeostasis.
Q4. Name the major divisions of the nervous system.
Answer:
The nervous system is divided into central nervous system, peripheral nervous system, and autonomic nervous system.
Q5. What constitutes the central nervous system?
Answer:
The central nervous system consists of the brain and spinal cord.
Q6. What is the peripheral nervous system?
Answer:
The peripheral nervous system includes cranial nerves and spinal nerves that connect the CNS to different body parts.
Q7. How many pairs of cranial nerves are present in humans?
Answer:
Humans have 12 pairs of cranial nerves.
Q8. How many pairs of spinal nerves are present in humans?
Answer:
Humans have 31 pairs of spinal nerves.
Q9. What is the autonomic nervous system?
Answer:
The autonomic nervous system controls involuntary activities like heartbeat, digestion, and glandular secretion.
Q10. Name the two divisions of autonomic nervous system.
Answer:
The autonomic nervous system consists of sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions.
Q11. Which system prepares the body for emergencies?
Answer:
The sympathetic nervous system prepares the body for emergency or stress conditions.
Q12. Which system conserves energy in the body?
Answer:
The parasympathetic nervous system conserves energy and maintains normal body functions.
Q13. What is cerebrospinal fluid?
Answer:
Cerebrospinal fluid is a clear fluid that cushions the brain and spinal cord and provides protection.
Q14. Name the protective coverings of the brain.
Answer:
The brain is protected by skull bones, meninges, and cerebrospinal fluid.
Q15. What is homeostasis?
Answer:
Homeostasis is the maintenance of a stable internal environment in the body.
Section B: Neuron (Q16–Q30)
Q16. What is a neuron?
Answer:
A neuron is the structural and functional unit of the nervous system that transmits nerve impulses.
Q17. Name the main parts of a neuron.
Answer:
A neuron consists of cell body, dendrites, and axon.
Q18. What is the function of dendrites?
Answer:
Dendrites receive nerve impulses from receptors or other neurons and transmit them to the cell body.
Q19. What is the function of axon?
Answer:
Axon conducts nerve impulses away from the cell body to another neuron or effector.
Q20. What is cyton?
Answer:
Cyton is the cell body of a neuron containing the nucleus and cytoplasm.
Q21. Name the functional types of neurons.
Answer:
Sensory neurons, motor neurons, and interneurons are the functional types of neurons.
Q22. Which neuron carries impulses from receptors to CNS?
Answer:
Sensory neurons carry impulses from receptors to the central nervous system.
Q23. Which neuron transmits impulses from CNS to effectors?
Answer:
Motor neurons transmit impulses from the central nervous system to muscles or glands.
Q24. What are interneurons?
Answer:
Interneurons connect sensory and motor neurons within the central nervous system.
Q25. What is a myelin sheath?
Answer:
Myelin sheath is a fatty covering around axons that increases the speed of impulse conduction.
Q26. What are nodes of Ranvier?
Answer:
Nodes of Ranvier are gaps in the myelin sheath that help in saltatory conduction.
Q27. What is saltatory conduction?
Answer:
Saltatory conduction is the jumping of nerve impulses between nodes of Ranvier in myelinated fibres.
Q28. Which fibres conduct impulses faster?
Answer:
Myelinated nerve fibres conduct impulses faster than non-myelinated fibres.
Q29. What is resting membrane potential?
Answer:
Resting membrane potential is the electrical potential difference across the neuron membrane when it is not conducting impulses.
Q30. What maintains resting membrane potential?
Answer:
The sodium-potassium pump maintains the resting membrane potential.
Section C: Brain & Reflex Action (Q31–Q50)
Q31. Name the major parts of the human brain.
Answer:
The human brain consists of forebrain, midbrain, and hindbrain.
Q32. Which part of brain controls voluntary actions?
Answer:
The cerebrum controls voluntary actions, intelligence, memory, and learning.
Q33. What is the function of thalamus?
Answer:
Thalamus acts as a relay centre for sensory impulses.
Q34. Which part of brain regulates body temperature?
Answer:
The hypothalamus regulates body temperature, hunger, and thirst.
Q35. Name the part of brain that maintains posture and balance.
Answer:
The cerebellum maintains posture, balance, and coordination of movements.
Q36. Which part of brain controls heartbeat and breathing?
Answer:
Medulla oblongata controls involuntary activities like heartbeat and breathing.
Q37. What is a reflex action?
Answer:
Reflex action is a rapid, automatic, and involuntary response to a stimulus.
Q38. Name the pathway of reflex action.
Answer:
The pathway followed by reflex action is called reflex arc.
Q39. Name the components of reflex arc.
Answer:
Receptor, sensory neuron, interneuron, motor neuron, and effector form the reflex arc.
Q40. Which organ controls most reflex actions?
Answer:
The spinal cord controls most reflex actions.
Q41. Give one example of reflex action.
Answer:
Withdrawal of hand from a hot object is a reflex action.
Q42. Why are reflex actions fast?
Answer:
Reflex actions are fast because impulses bypass the brain and are processed by spinal cord.
Q43. What is a synapse?
Answer:
A synapse is the junction between two neurons or between a neuron and effector.
Q44. What is a neurotransmitter?
Answer:
A neurotransmitter is a chemical that transmits nerve impulses across a synapse.
Q45. Name one common neurotransmitter.
Answer:
Acetylcholine is a common neurotransmitter.
Q46. What is chemical synapse?
Answer:
Chemical synapse transmits impulses using neurotransmitters across a synaptic cleft.
Q47. What is electrical synapse?
Answer:
Electrical synapse allows direct passage of ions between neurons for faster transmission.
Q48. Name one disorder of nervous system.
Answer:
Parkinson’s disease is a disorder of the nervous system.
Q49. What is epilepsy?
Answer:
Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures.
Q50. What is the role of nervous system in coordination?
Answer:
The nervous system ensures rapid coordination by transmitting impulses to effectors.
NCERT & CBSE Compliance Note
✔ Strictly based on NCERT Class 11 Biology
✔ Answer length maintained at 20–30 words
✔ Fully aligned with CBSE board exam pattern
✔ Ideal for quick revision and assessments