Question

How do the two reflex arcs differ in complexity

Answer 1

In a monosynaptic reflexes, it is like me speaking to you over a telephone. I am the only talker and you are the only listener. The phone line only has to connect to 2 people. If I am the one talking, I would be the sensory neuron, and if you are listening you would be the motor neuron. I can tell you what to do really fast because it is only 1 person I have to give instructions to. An example of this is the patellar reflex. The doc hits the patella and your leg kicks. This is becuse the sensory neuron gets hit and he quickly tells the motor neuron to kick. It happens really, really fast. Another example is touching a hot stove, what happens? Before you can even think to yourself that the stove is hot, your hand will pull away. Monosynaptic reflexes are made for very quick responses to stimuli that will not need to be stopped or thought about in order to react.