To compare the two systems, pick a feature and state it for each system. Speed, route and length of effect are the three features to use.
This lesson opens Body coordination in SPM Science. Match names and depth to your Science textbook.
What are the three features to compare?
Use the same three features every time, and write the nervous and hormonal statements side by side.
| Feature | Nervous coordination | Hormonal coordination |
|---|---|---|
| Message carried by | Electrical impulses | Chemical hormones |
| Route | Along neurons | Through the blood |
| Speed | Fast | Slower |
| Length of effect | Short | Longer |
| Target | Specific muscle or gland | Specific cells with matching receptors |
A comparison answer should read like a row of this table, in full sentences.
Worked example: reading original data
Two responses are recorded after the same sudden loud noise. These numbers are invented for this lesson.
| Response | Starts after | Lasts about |
|---|---|---|
| Student flinches | 0.2 seconds | 1 second |
| Heart rate stays raised | 15 seconds | 4 minutes |
Step one: which response is faster? The flinch starts after 0.2 seconds, while the heart rate change starts after 15 seconds. Step two: which lasts longer? The raised heart rate lasts 4 minutes, which is 240 seconds, against 1 second for the flinch.
Conclusion: the flinch matches nervous coordination, because it is fast and short. The heart rate change matches hormonal coordination, because it is slower and longer. The data supports the conclusion, but it does not name the exact hormone.
The mistake: two lists and no contrast
A student writes: “The nervous system uses neurons and is fast. The hormonal system uses hormones and is slow.” Each sentence is true, but the two never meet on a shared feature.
| Weak | Better |
|---|---|
| Two separate descriptions | “Nervous coordination is fast, while hormonal coordination is slower.” |
| No matched feature | One feature, both systems, one sentence |
Start each sentence with the feature, then give both systems. The contrast is then clear to the marker.
A fair-comparison check
Before you use data to decide, check the comparison is fair. Ask whether both responses were measured for the same event and in the same way.
- Are the units the same, seconds with seconds?
- Was the same stimulus used?
- Did you use the data, not memory, to decide?
The graph evidence and fair-comparison lab lets you practise this kind of check.
Check yourself
A response begins after 0.1 seconds and ends after 0.5 seconds. Another begins after 30 seconds and lasts 10 minutes. Which matches which system, and how long does each last in seconds?
Answer
The first response is fast and short, so it matches nervous coordination. The second is slower and lasts longer, so it matches hormonal coordination.
The first lasts 0.5 − 0.1 = 0.4 seconds. The second lasts 10 minutes × 60 = 600 seconds. The much longer duration supports the hormonal match.
What to study next
Go on to tracing a simple response pathway, then test the cluster in the body coordination practice set when you are ready.
For a teacher to go through your comparison answers, see online one-to-one Science tuition.