describe the nerve pathway that the message followed when you saw the ruler fall.
The nerve pathway that the message followed when you saw the ruler fall starts with the eye sending a message to the visual cortex in the brain. The visual cortex is responsible for processing visual information and detecting movement. When the eye sees the ruler fall, it sends the message to the visual cortex, which perceives the falling motion.
Once the visual cortex receives the message, it sends a message to the motor cortex. The motor cortex is the part of the brain that controls voluntary movements. In this case, when you saw the ruler fall, the motor cortex is responsible for initiating the action of catching the ruler.
The motor cortex then sends a message to the spinal cord. The spinal cord serves as a relay center, transmitting signals from the brain to the peripheral nerves throughout the body. The message from the motor cortex travels down the spinal cord to reach the appropriate level where the muscles involved in catching the ruler are located.
From the spinal cord, the message is sent to the specific muscle or muscles involved in the action of catching the ruler. The muscle receives the message and contracts, allowing you to quickly react and catch the falling ruler.
Overall, the nerve pathway that the message followed when you saw the ruler fall involves the eye sending a message to the visual cortex, which then sends a message to the motor cortex. The motor cortex sends a message to the spinal cord, and from there, the message is transmitted to the muscles involved in the action of catching the ruler.