Combined Science GCSE
Reflex arc
What Reflex arc means in Combined Science GCSE, as defined for AQA.
Definitions of Reflex arc
Exam boards and our study guides word this term in slightly different ways. Learn the version your board uses.
Check what you remember
Read the wording for your board, then hide it and explain Reflex arc in your own words. Rough notes are fine. This is a self-check, with no mark or grade.
Reference: AQA
A pathway through the spinal cord that lets responses occur without conscious brain processing, making reactions fast and automatic.
The receptor–sensory neurone–relay neurone–motor neurone–effector pathway.
Topics that use Reflex arc
- The human nervous system (AQA GCSE)
Related terms
- Coordination by the central nervous system
- Data handling and graph interpretation
- Evidence-based conclusions
- Experimental design and variables
- Motor neurone
- Reaction time and nervous coordination
- Receptors and effectors
- Sensory neurone
Using Reflex arc in the exam
Check the command word and mark scheme for your exact question. After comparing your explanation with the reference, use the term in an answer on the linked topic. This practice does not predict an exam mark.
Practise Combined Science questions
Create a free account to answer exam-style questions on this topic and get feedback on your answers.
Start free
All Combined Science GCSE termsA week of Premium from your first lesson · Then the free plan continues · No card, no charge