4.5.1 Homeostasis

Question 1

Homeostasis:

Answer 1

• the regulation of the internal conditions of a cell or organism to maintain optimum conditions for function in response to internal or external regulations
• maintains optimal conditions for enzyme action and all cell functions

Question 2

What does homeostasis control in the human body?

Answer 2

• blood glucose concentration
• body temperature
• water levels

Question 3

Why does our body carry out homeostasis?

Answer 3

• cells carry out respiration to release energy from glucose
  
  • use enzymes to do this
• enzymes and cells require very stable conditions to work well
  
  • enzymes and cells cannot work well if the conditions around them change too much
  • because of this our bodies have systems in place to keep the internal conditions optimum for the cells to function - homeostasis
  • keeps internal conditions as constant as possible

Question 4

Automatic control systems:

Answer 4

• may involve nervous responses or chemical responses (hormones)
• make sure that internal conditions of body stay as constant as possible

Question 5

Automatic control systems examples:

Answer 5

• cells called receptors which detect stimuli (changes in the environment - environment could mean internal or external conditions)
• coordination centres (such as the brain, spinal cord and the pancreas) that receive and process information passed from receptors
• effectors, muscles or glands, which bring about responses which restore optimum levels