Sunil unconsciously touched the hot iron rod and immediately withdrew his hand. Which type of action is involved ? Also define this action. Draw a flow chart to show the path followed for this action.
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-15 06:47 · grounding rag
Model Answer
Type of Action: Reflex action
Definition: A reflex action is a spontaneous, automatic, and rapid response to a stimulus that occurs without conscious thinking, controlled by the spinal cord.
Flow Chart (Reflex Arc):
$$\text{Hot iron rod (Stimulus)} \rightarrow \text{Receptor (skin)} \rightarrow \text{Sensory nerve} \rightarrow \text{Spinal cord (nerve centre)} \rightarrow \text{Motor nerve} \rightarrow \text{Effector (muscle)} \rightarrow \text{Hand withdrawn (Response)}$$
Source: Chapter 6, Section 6.1.1 – Reflex Actions
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Explanation
- Examiners expect three things: name of action, definition, and flow chart — all in one question.
- The flow chart must show the reflex arc pathway: receptor → sensory nerve → spinal cord → motor nerve → effector/muscle → response. Do NOT say the signal goes to the brain first; reflex arcs are processed in the spinal cord.
- Definition should mention: involuntary/without conscious thinking, sudden, controlled by spinal cord.
- Using arrows in the flow chart is important for full marks.