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0610 IGCSE Biology/Topic 14 Coordination and response: nerves and sense organs/6 interactive simulations/drag to rotate the 3D models

Nerves and the eye, made interactive

Six 3D simulations covering Topic 14.1 Coordination and response and 14.2 Sense organs. Follow impulses through the nervous system and a reflex arc, cross a synapse, explore the eye and watch it adjust to light and distance. Tabs marked Extended cover the Supplement.

1. The nervous system 3D · 14.1

The nervous system coordinates and regulates the body's functions using electrical impulses that travel along neurones. The central nervous system is the brain and spinal cord; the peripheral nervous system is all the nerves outside them.

drag to rotate · wheel to zoom

Show

2. The reflex arc 3D · 14.1

A reflex action is an automatic, rapid response to a stimulus. Touch the hot plate and follow the impulse: receptor, sensory neurone, relay neurone in the spinal cord, motor neurone, effector.

drag to rotate · wheel to zoom

Stimulus

IMPULSE NOW IN
…
TIME SINCE TOUCH
0 ms

3. The synapse 3D · 14.1Extended

A synapse is a junction between two neurones. The impulse cannot jump the gap, so it is carried across by chemicals. Send an impulse, then try sending one the other way.

drag to rotate · wheel to zoom

Impulse

STAGE
waiting
RECEPTORS BOUND
0

4. The eye 3D · 14.2

Sense organs are groups of receptor cells that respond to specific stimuli: light, sound, touch, temperature and chemicals. The eye detects light. Click each part of the cut-away eye to see what it does.

click a part · drag to rotate · wheel to zoom

View

5. The pupil reflex 3D · 14.2

In bright light the pupil gets smaller, protecting the retina from damage; in dim light it gets wider, letting in more light. This is a reflex. Change the light and watch the iris.

drag to rotate · wheel to zoom

Light

PUPIL DIAMETER
CONTRACTED

6. Accommodation 3D · 14.2Extended

The cornea does most of the refracting, but the lens changes shape to focus light from near or distant objects on the retina. Move the object and watch the ciliary muscles, suspensory ligaments and lens.

drag to rotate · wheel to zoom

Object distance

CILIARY MUSCLES
LIGAMENTS
LENS
Built for Cambridge IGCSE Biology 0610, Topic 14 (parts 14.1 and 14.2). Hormones, homeostasis and tropic responses are in the next lab. Models are simplified and not to scale.

About this lab: Nerves and the eye

Six interactive 3D simulations for Cambridge IGCSE Biology 0610 topic 14 Coordination and response, nerves and sense organs: the central and peripheral nervous system with sensory, relay and motor neurones, a reflex arc from a hot plate to the biceps, events at a synapse, a clickable cut-away eye with rods, cones and the fovea, the pupil reflex with circular and radial muscles, and accommodation for near and distant objects.

Six 3D simulations covering Topic 14.1 Coordination and response and 14.2 Sense organs. Follow impulses through the nervous system and a reflex arc, cross a synapse, explore the eye and watch it adjust to light and distance. Tabs marked Extended cover the Supplement.

Nerves and the eye is a free, browser-based simulation for Cambridge IGCSE Biology 0610 (topic 14 Coordination and response, sections 14.1 Coordination and response, 14.2 Sense organs). The course is assessed in Paper 1/2 (Multiple choice), Paper 3/4 (Theory), Paper 5 (Practical Test), Paper 6 (Alternative to Practical). Syllabus for examination in 2026-2028. There are 6 tabs, each a self-contained experiment with its own controls and live readings, and nothing to install: it runs on a laptop, tablet or classroom projector.

Syllabus coverage

Full syllabus map: IGCSE Biology 0610 topic 14.

How to use this simulation

  1. 1. The nervous system. The nervous system coordinates and regulates the body's functions using electrical impulses that travel along neurones.
  2. 2. The reflex arc. A reflex action is an automatic, rapid response to a stimulus.
  3. 3. The synapse. A synapse is a junction between two neurones.
  4. 4. The eye. Sense organs are groups of receptor cells that respond to specific stimuli: light, sound, touch, temperature and...
  5. 5. The pupil reflex. In bright light the pupil gets smaller, protecting the retina from damage; in dim light it gets wider, letting in more...
  6. 6. Accommodation. The cornea does most of the refracting, but the lens changes shape to focus light from near or distant objects on the...
  7. The buttons at the end of the tab strip give the scene the whole window (Full screen, Hide controls) and, on a dark stage, a projector-friendly palette (Light scene). Many scenes also have drag handles: drag them to change the set-up directly.

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