Sensing Energy

In some animals, the organ used to detect light is the eye. Although most large animals (humans, fish, birds, reptiles) have similar eyes, not all eyes are the same. Some eyes are very complex, while others are simple in their function. With our human eyes, we can see a variety of colors, shades, and sharp details of shapes by collecting the light reflected off of objects.

Life as seen through the eyes of an insect would look very different. Insect eyes come in two varieties–simple and complex. Simple insect eyes, called ocelli, detect little detail but can tell different shades of light and dark. Compound eyes are more complex. These organs function similarly to many human eyes bundled together and working as one.

Interesting note: Some critters have eyes that swivel on short stalks which help them to see in all directions with out turning their heads. Ever tried to swat a fly? They have compound eyes that help them see behind them. They see behind them but can't detect shapes very well. So next time when you sneak up on a fly, pretend to being doing something else.

Plants can also detect light. In fact, if they couldn’t, we could not exist, as we know it. Special organs in plants, called chloroplasts, collect light energy and use it to convert carbon dioxide and water into sugar for us. Chloroplasts are found in leaves because leaves are exposed to more sunlight than other parts of the plants.

Even though we can feel many types of vibrations with our hands, feet or other body parts, we understand sounds by using our ears. Human ears, and the ears of other large animals, are generally made of an air chamber covered by a thin piece of skin-like material (your eardrum).

Insect ears, like human ears collect and transform sound vibrations. But, insects ears are called tympanic organs. Any idea why they have this name? It is because the membrane vibrates like a drum.

Fish have what is called a lateral line system to help detect sound vibrations in water. This helps them detect when predators and other objects are near. The lateral line looks like dashed or dotted lines on the sides and around the head of fish, reptiles and amphibian

This system also helps these animals sense movement of water past their bodies, and the temperature of the water.

Have you ever burned your hand on the stove? How does your brain actually know that your hand is getting warm? We, like other animals, have certain nerve endings that are sensitive to heat. These are often called thermoreceptors.

For some animals, such as some amphibians, fish, and reptiles, these receptors are part of the lateral line system. Insects also have thermoreceptors located on all sorts of different body parts.

Many animals have a variety of sense organs that allow them to detect different forces of energy. For example, some animals can actually sense changes in electrical fields. Fish are the most common electrical detectors. Some, such as certain sharks, can detect the presence of an external electrical field (such as metal in trash dumped in the ocean by humans). Others create their own electrical field and sense external electrical fields by detecting changes in their own. Your own dog can sense different pitches of sound that you cannot hear.

Many organisms have a variety of sensing organs which allows them to detect and respond to various forms of energy. Here is an activity you can do to demonstrate that critters can detect changes in energy.

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