2.10.12 The Role of Hormones

Question 1

What is a hormone

Answer 1

A hormone is a chemical substance produced by a gland and carried by the blood, which alters the activity of one or more specific target organs

• They are chemicals that transmit information from one part of the organism to another and bring about a change

Question 2

Name 5 hormones that are of great importance in humans

Answer 2

Adrenaline

Insulin

Testosterone

Progesterone

Oestrogen

Question 3

What is adrenaline

Answer 3

Adrenaline is known as the ‘fight or flight’ hormone as it is produced in situations where the body may be in danger

Question 4

Adrenaline causes a range of different things to happen in the body, all designed to prepare it for movement, what are 4 of them.

Answer 4

1. An increase in heart rate and breathing rate – ensures glucose and oxygen can be delivered to muscle cells (and carbon dioxide can be taken away from muscles cells) at a faster rate

Question 5

Blood glucose concentration must be kept within a, what?

Answer 5

narrow range

Question 6

Too high a level of glucose in the blood can lead to, what?

Answer 6

cells of the body losing water by osmosis, which can be dangerous

Question 7

Too low a level of glucose in the blood can lead to, what?

Answer 7

the brain receiving insufficient glucose for respiration, potentially leading to a coma or even death

Question 8

The pancreas and liver work together to, do what?

Answer 8

control blood glucose levels

Question 9

To carry out this role, the pancreas acts as an, what?

Answer 9

endocrine gland (making and secreting hormones into the bloodstream)

Question 10

If the blood glucose concentration gets too high, what happens?

Answer 10

1. Cells in the pancreas detect the increased blood glucose levels

Question 11

If the blood glucose concentration gets too low, what happens?

Answer 11

1. Cells in the pancreas detect the decreased blood glucose levels

Question 12

Where is testosterone produced

Answer 12

in the male testes

Question 13

What is testosterone responsible for?

Answer 13

the development of secondary sexual characteristics in males

Question 14

Where is progesterone produced?

Answer 14

in the female ovaries

Question 15

What is progesterone responsible for?

Answer 15

maintaining the uterine lining during pregnancy

Question 16

How is Oestrogen produced

Answer 16

by the female ovaries

Question 17

What is Oestrogen responsible for?

Answer 17

for the development of secondary sexual characteristics in females and regulating the menstrual cycle

Question 18

Exam Tip

Answer 18

It is worth learning this list of effects of adrenaline on the body as it is a fairly common exam question and can be worth several easy marks.

Also, be careful when answering questions on the control of blood glucose levels – the terms glucagon and glycogen are very often mixed up by students as they sound similar.

Glucagon is a hormone

Glycogen is a polysaccharide (i.e. the polymer of glucose that acts as a glucose storage molecule)

Learn the differences between the spellings and what each one does so you don’t get confused in the exam!