You are watching a horror movie and you notice that your heart is beating fast and mouth is dry. It is because of

Options

A. Fight and flight response
B. Autonomic nervous response
C. Sympathetic nervous system
D. Both A and C

Answer

To answer the question about why your heart is beating fast and your mouth is dry while watching a horror movie, we can break it down step by step:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding the Situation**: When you watch a horror movie, your body can perceive it as a stressful situation. This perception can trigger a physiological response.

2. **Identifying the Response**: The fast heartbeat and dry mouth are symptoms that indicate your body is responding to stress. This response is often referred to as the "fight or flight" response.

3. **Role of Adrenaline**: The "fight or flight" response is primarily mediated by the hormone adrenaline (also known as epinephrine). Adrenaline is secreted by the adrenal medulla when the body is under stress.

4. **Effects of Adrenaline**: Once released, adrenaline prepares the body to react to the perceived threat. It increases heart rate, enhances alertness, and can lead to a dry mouth due to reduced saliva production.

5. **Nervous System Involvement**: The sympathetic nervous system is activated during this response. This part of the autonomic nervous system is responsible for the body's rapid involuntary response to dangerous or stressful situations.

6. **Conclusion**: Therefore, the symptoms you are experiencing (fast heartbeat and dry mouth) are due to the activation of the sympathetic nervous system and the release of adrenaline, which together induce the fight or flight response.

### Final Answer:
The correct answer to the question is **both A and C**: the fast heartbeat and dry mouth are due to the fight or flight response and the activation of the sympathetic nervous system.

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