Page 59 - The Miracle of Electricity in the Body

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The Spinal Cord Between Brain and Body
Nerve impulses are transmitted from
The spinal cord is a thick bun-
dle of nerves establishing con- one neuron to another, just like in a
nections between the head relay race. This allows signals to trav-
and all points of the body. el long distances with no loss of
From here, nerves narrow
into 30 smaller bundles. speed or effect.

The Brain Responsible for the System
The brain is a mass of nerve cells that
control and coordinate the electrical
signals that come and go. They can
be measured using a machine known
as an electroencephalograph.

Incoming Signals
One set of nerves carries signals
from the eyes, ears, nose, skin and
other sensory organs, reporting on
what is going on in the surrounding
environment.
Outgoing Signals
When the brain issues a command another group, the
motor nerves, sends the signal along the nerve. These
nerves are linked to every muscle in the body. When
small electrical signals reach the muscles, they contract
and permit movement.