Luke is driving home one evening when two deer run out of the woods in front of his
car. Luke slams on the brakes to avoid hitting the deer. Luke feels his heart rate
increase and his hands become very sweaty. Which part of the autonomic nervous
system has been activated?
O A. central
OB. parasympathetic
O C. peripheral
OD. sympathetic

Explanation:When Luke slams on the brakes to avoid hitting the deer and experiences an increase in heart rate and sweaty hands, his body is responding to a stressor with a "fight or flight" reaction. This reaction includes physiological changes that prepare the body to either face the threat or flee from it. These changes are mediated by the autonomic nervous system, specifically its sympathetic division.

The autonomic nervous system is part of the peripheral nervous system, not the central nervous system, and it is divided into two main branches: the sympathetic and the parasympathetic nervous systems. The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for the body's rapid involuntary response to dangerous or stressful situations. Activation of this system results in increased heart rate, increased breathing rate, dilated pupils, and other physiological changes like sweating.

Thus, the correct answer is:

D. sympathetic