B2 Flashcards
What is a cell?
The basic building block of a living organism
What is a tissue?
A group of cells with a similar structure and function working together
What is an organ?
A collection of tissues working together to perform a specific function
What is an organ system?
A group of organs working together to perform specific functions.
What is the main function of the digestive system?
To digest and absorb the nutrients obtained form digestion
What is role of the pancreas and the salivary gland in the digestive system?
The pancreas and the salivary gland are glands which produce digestive juices containing enzymes
What is the role of the stomach in the digestive system?
Produces hydrochloric acid - which kills any bacteria present and provides the optimum acidic pH for the protease enzyme to function
What is the role of the small intestine in the digestive system?
The small intestine is the site where soluble food molecules are absorbed into the bloodstream
What is the role of the liver in the digestive system?
Produces bile (stored in the gallbladder) which emulsifies lipids and allows the lipase enzyme to work more efficiently
What is the role of the large intestine in the digestive system?
Absorbs water form undigested food, producing faeces
What is the role of enzymes in the digestive system?
Enzymes act as biological catalysts which speed up the rate of biological reactions without being used up
How does the shape of an enzyme affect its function?
Enzymes have a specific active site which is complementary to their substrate
What is metabolism?
The sum of all the reaction in a cell or an organism
Wat types of metabolic reactions do enzymes catalyse?
- Building larger molecules from smaller molecules
- Changing one molecule to another
- Breaking down larger molecules into smaller molecules
What is the lock and key hypothesis of enzyme function?
The shape of the enzyme active site and the substrate are complementary, so can bind together to form an enzyme-substrate complex
How does temperature affect enzyme action?
Increasing temperature increases enzyme action as the molecules have a higher kinetic energy. Above a certain temperature the enzyme becomes denatured.
How does pH affect enzyme function?
The optimum pH for most enzymes is 7 (apart from proteases in the stomach). If the pH is too extreme the enzyme will denature
Where are carbohydrases produced in the body?
- Amylase: salivary gland and pancreases
- Maltase: small intestine
Where are proteases produced in the body?
- Pepsin: stomach
- Others: pancreas and small intestine
Where are lipases produced in the body?
Pancreas and small intestine
What is the role of carbohydrases in the digestive system?
Carbohydrases break down carbohydrates into monosaccharides and disaccharides.
Amylase breaks down starch into maltose, and maltase breaks down maltose into glucose
What is the role of proteases in the digestive system?
Proteases breaks down proteins into amino acids
What is the role of lipases in the digestive system?
Lipases break down lipids into fatty acids and glycerol
How are products of digestion used?
They are used to build bigger molecules such as carbohydrates and proteins. Glucose is used as a substrate in respiration
Where is bile stored in the body
Bile is made by the liver and stored in the gallbladder
What is the role of bile in the digestive system?
-Bile is an alkaline substance which neutralises the hydrochloric acid secreted by the stomach
- Bile emulsifies lipids to form droplets, this increases the surface area for the lipase enzyme to work on
What is the heart?
An organ that pumps blood around the body
What is the purpose of the circulatory system?
Carries oxygen and other useful substances to bodily tissues, and removes waste substances
How does the double circulatory system work?
- One pathway carries blood from the heart to the lungs, where the gaseous exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide takes place.
- One pathway carries blood from the heart to the tissues
Where does blood pumped by the right ventricle go?
The lungs
Where does blood pumped by the left ventricle go?
Body tissues
Why is the double circulatory system important?
It makes the circulatory system more efficient
How many chamber of the heart are there and what are they called?
4 - right atrium, right ventricle, left atrium, left ventricle
Why is the wall of the left ventricle thicker?
The left ventricle has to pump blood at a higher pressure around the whole body
What are the four main blood vessels associated with the heart?
Aorta (left) - carries oxygenated blood form the heart to the body.
Pulmonary vein (left) - carries oxygenated blood from the lungs to the heart.
Vena cava (right) - carries deoxygenated blood from the body to the heart.
Pulmonary artery (right) - carries deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs.
What is the purpose of valves in the heart?
Prevent the back flow of blood
What is the purpose of coronary arteries?
Coronary arteries supply the heart muscle with oxygenated blood
Describe the process of blood flow through the heart?
- Blood enters the right atrium via the vena cava, and the left atrium via the pulmonary vein
- The atria contract, forcing blood into the ventricles and causing valves to shut
- After the ventricles contract, blood in the ventricle enters the pulmonary artery (to the lungs) and blood in the left ventricle enters the aorta (to the body)
What is the approximate value of the natural resting heart rate?
70 bpm
How is the heart rate controlled?
Heart rate is controlled by a group of cells in the right atrium which act as a pacemaker. They release waves of electrical activity which cause the heart muscle to contract
How can an abnormal heart rhythm be treated?
Irregular heart rhythms can be treated using an artificial pacemaker, which sends out electrical signals to correct the heart’s rhythm
What are the three types of blood vessel in the body?
Arteries
Veins
Capillaries