What is the definition of a stimulus?

A stimulus refers to any event or object that can evoke a specific response or reaction from an organ or tissue. In biological terms, a stimulus can be anything from environmental changes, such as light or temperature, to other internal or external factors that provoke a specific action or change in an organism. For instance, when a plant bends toward light, the light acts as a stimulus triggering that response. This definition captures the essential role of stimuli in initiating biological reactions, which is why it stands out as the correct choice.

The other definitions provided do not fully encompass this concept. A chemical promoting cellular growth describes a very specific action rather than a broader reaction to an event. A reaction produced by an organ or tissue refers more to the response itself rather than what initiated it. Lastly, the regulation of temperature in organisms is a process that may occur in response to a stimulus but does not define what a stimulus is.