Chapter 1 - An Introduction to the Human Body Flashcards
Abdominopelvic cavity
Division of the anterior (ventral) cavity that houses the abdominal and pelvic viscera
Anabolism
Assembly of more complex molecules from simpler molecules
Anatomical position
Standard reference position used for describing locations and directions on the human body
Anatomy
Science that studies the form and composition of the body’s structures
Anterior
Describes the front or direction toward the front of the body; also referred to as ventral
Anterior cavity
Larger body cavity located anterior to the posterior (dorsal) body cavity; includes the serous membrane-lined pleural cavities for the lungs, pericardial cavity for the heart, and peritoneal cavity for the abdominal and pelvic organs; also referred to as ventral cavity
Catabolism
Breaking down of more complex molecules into simpler molecules
Caudal
Describes a position below or lower than another part of the body proper; near or toward the tail (in humans, the coccyx, or lowers part of the spinal column); also referred to as inferior
Cell
Smallest independently functioning unit of all organisms; in animals, a cell contains cytoplasm, composed of fluid and organelles
Computed tomography (CT)
Medical imaging technique in which a computer-enhanced cross-sectional X-ray image is obtained
Control Center
Compares values to their normal range; deviations cause the activation of an effector
Cranial
Describes a position above or higher than another part of the body proper; also referred to as superior
Cranial cavity
Division of the posterior (dorsal) cavity that houses the brain
Deep
Describes a position farther from the surface of the body
Development
Changes an organism goes through during its life
Differentiation
Process by which unspecialized cells become specialized in structure and function
Distal
Describes a position farther from the point of attachment or the trunk of the body
Dorsal
Describes the back or direction toward the back of the body; also referred to as posterior
Dorsal cavity
Posterior body cavity that houses the brain and spinal cord; also referred to as the posterior body cavity
Effector
Organ that can cause a change in a value
Frontal plan
Two-dimensional, vertical plan that divides the body or organ into anterior and posterior portions
Gross anatomy
study of the larger structures of the body, typically with the unaided eye; also referred to as macroscopic anatomy
Growth
Process of increasing in size
Homeostasis
Steady state of body systems that living organisms maintain
Inferior
Describes a position below or lower than another part of the body proper; near or toward the tail (in humans, the coccyx, or lowest part of the spinal column); also referred to as caudal
Lateral
Describes the side or direction toward the side of the body
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
Medical imaging technique in which a device generates a magnetic field to obtain detailed sectional images of the internal structures of the body
Medial
Describes the middle or direction toward the middle of the body
Metabolism
Sum of all the body’s chemical reactions
Microscopic anatomy
Study of very small structures of the body using magnification
Negative feedback
Homeostasis mechanism that tends to stabilize an upset in the body’s physiological condition by preventing an excessive response to a stimulus, typically as the stimulus is removed
Normal range
Range of values around the set point that do not cause a reaction by the control center
Nutrient
Chemical obtained from foods and beverages that is critical to human survival
Organ
Functionally distinct structure composed of two or more types of tissues
Organ system
Group of organs that work together to carry out a particular function
Organism
Living being that has a cellular structure and that can independently perform all physiological functions necessary for life
Pericardium
Sac that encloses the heart
Peritoneum
Serous membrane that lines the abdominopelvic cavity and covers the organs found there
Physiology
Science that studies the chemistry, biochemistry, and physics of the body’s functions
Plane
Imaginary two-dimensional surface that passes through the body
Pleura
Serous membrane that lines the pleural cavity and coves the lungs
Positive Feedback
Mechanisms that intensifies a change in the body’s physiological condition in response to a stimulus
Positron emission tomography (PET)
Medical imaging technique in which radiopharmaceuticals are traced to reveal metabolic and physiological functions in tissues
Posterior
Describes the back or direction toward the back of the body; also referred to as dorsal
Posterior cavity
Posterior body cavity that houses the brain and spinal cord; also referred to as dorsal cavity
Pressure
Force exerted by a substance in contact with another substance
Prone
Face down
Proximal
Describes a position nearer to the point of attachment or trunk of the body
Regional anatomy
Study of the structures that contribute to specific body regions
Renewal
Process by which worn-out cells are replaced
Reproduction
Process by which new organisms are generated
Responsiveness
Ability of an organisms or a system to adjust to changes in conditions
Sagittal plan
two-dimensional, vertical plane that divides the body or organ into right and left sides
Section
In anatomy, a single flat surface of a three-dimensional structure that has been cut through
Sensor
(also receptor) reports a monitored physiological value to the control center
Serosa
Membrane that covers organs and reduces friction; also referred to as serosa
Set point
Ideal value for a physiological parameter; the level or small range within which a physiological parameter such as blood pressure is stable and optimally healthful, that is, within its parameters of homeostasis
Spinal cavity
Division of the dorsal cavity that houses the spinal cord; also referred to as vertebral cavity
Superficial
Describes a position nearer to the surface of the body
Superior
Describes a position above or higher than another part of the body proper; also referred to as cranial
Supine
Face up
Systemic anatomy
Study of the structures that contribute to specific body systems
Thoracic cavity
Division of the anterior (ventral) cavity that houses the heart, lungs, esophagus, and trachea
Tissue
Group of similar or closely related cells that act together to perform a specific function
Transverse plane
Two-dimensional, horizontal plane that divides the body or organ into superior and inferior portions
Ultrasonography
Application of ultrasonic waves to visualize subcutaneous body structures such as tendons and organs
Ventral
Describes the front or direction toward the front of the body; also referred to as anterior
Ventral cavity
Larger body cavity located anterior to the posterior (dorsal) body cavity; includes the serous membrane-lined plural cavities for the lungs, pericardial cavity of the heart, and peritoneal cavity for the abdominal and pelvic organs; also referred to as anterior body cavity
X-ray
Form of high energy electromagnetic radiation with a short wavelength capable of penetrating solids and ionizing gases; used in medicine as a diagnostic aid to visualize body structures such as bones
What kind of catabolism occurs in the heart?
Fatty acid catabolism
Water concentration in the body is critical for proper functioning. A person’s body retains very tight control on water levels without conscious control by the person. Which organ has primary control over the amont of water in the body?
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A CT or CAT scan relies on a circling scanner that revolves around the patient’s body. What type of radiation does a CT scanner use?
X-Rays
A patient undergoing an MRI is surrounded by a tube-shaped scanner. What is the function of the magnets in an MRI?
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PET relies on radioactive substances administered several minutes before the scan. How is PET used in chemotherapy?
PET scans can indicate how patients are responding to chemotherapy
Which of the following specialties focus on studying all of the structures of the ankle and foot?
a. Microscopic anatomy
b. Muscle anatomy
c. Regional anatomy
d. Systemic anatomy
c. Regional anatomy
A scientist wants to study how the body uses foods and fluids during a marathon run. This scientist is most likely a(n) _____.
a. Exercise physiologist
b. Microscopic anatomist
c. Regional physiologist
d. Systemic anatomist
a. Exercise physiologist
The smallest independently functioning unit of an organisms is a(n) ____.
a. Cell
b. Molecule
c. Organ
d. Tissue
a. Cell
The body system responsible for structural support and movement is the _____.
a. Cadiovascular system
b. Endocrine system
c. Muscular system
d. Skeletal system
d. Skeletal system
Metabolism can be defined as the ____.
a. Adjustment by an organism to external or internal changes
b. Process whereby all unspecialized cells become specialized to perform distinct functions
c. Process whereby new cells are formed to replace worn-out cells
d. Sum of all chemical reactions in an organism
d. Sum of all chemical reactions in an organism
Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is an important molecule because it _____.
a. Is the result of catabolism
b. Releases energy in uncontrolled bursts
c. Stores energy for use by body cells
d. All of the above
d. All of the above
Cancer can be characterized as “generic” cells that perform no specialized body function. Thus cancer cells lack ______.
a. Differentiation
b. Reproduction
c. Responsiveness
d. Both reproduction and responsiveness
a. Differentiation
Humans have the most urgent need for a continuous supply of ______.
a. Food
b. Nitrogen
c. Oxygen
d. Water
c. Oxygen
Which of the following statements about nutrients is true?
a. All classes of nutrients are essential to human survival
b. Because the body cannot store any micronutrients, they need to be consumed nearly every day
c. Carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins are micronutrients
d. Macronutrients are vitamins and minerals
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C.J. is stuck in her car during a bitterly cold blizzard. Her body responds to the cold by ______.
a. Increasing the blood to her hands and feet
b. Becoming lethargic to conserve heat
c. Breaking down stored energy
d. Significantly increasing blood oxygen levels
c. Breaking down stored energy
After you eat lunch, nerve cells in your stomach respond to the distention (the stimulus) resulting from the food. They relay this information to _____.
a. A control center
b. A set point
c. Effectors
d. Sensors
a. A control center
Stimulation of the heat-loss center causes _____.
a. Blood vessels in the skin to constrict
b. Breathing to become slow and shallow
c. Sweat glands to increase their output
d. All of the above
d. All of the above
All of the following is an example of a normal physiological process that uses a positive feedback loop?
a. Blood pressure regulation
b. Childbirth
c. Regulation of fluid balance
d. Temperature regulation
b. Childbirth
What is the position of the body when it is in the “normal anatomical position?”
a. The person is prone with upper limbs, including palms, touching sides and lower limbs touching at sides.
b. The person is standing facing the observer, with upper limbs extended out at a ninety-degree angle from the torso and lower limbs in a wide stance with feet pointing laterally
c. The person is supine with upper limbs, including palms, touching sides and lower limbs touching at sides
d. None of the above
d. None of the above
To make a banana split, you halve a banana into two long, thin, right and left sides along the _____.
a. Coronal plan
b. Longitudinal plane
c. Midsagittal plane
d. Transverse plane
c. Midsagittal plane
The lumbar region is ____.
a. Inferior to the gluteal region
b. Inferior to the umbilical region
c. Superior to the cervical region
d. Superior to the popliteal
d. Superior to the popliteal
The heart is within the ______.
a. Cranial cavity
b. Mediastinum
c. Posterior (dorsal) cavity
d. All of the above
b. Mediastinum
In 1901, Wilhelm Rontgen was the first person to win the Nobel Prize for physics. For what discovery did he win?
a. Nuclear physics
b. Radiopharmaceuticals
c. The link between radiation and cancer
d. X-rays
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Which of the following imaging techniques would be best to use to study the uptake of nutrients by rapidly multiplying cancer cells?
a. CT
b. MRI
c. PET
d. Ultrasonography
c. PET
Which of the following imaging studies can be used most safely during pregnancy?
a. CT scans
b. PET scans
c. Ultrasounds
d. X-rays
c. Ultrasounds
What are the two major disadvantages of MRI scans?
a. Release of radiation and poor quality images
b. High cost and the need for shielding from the magnetic signals
c. Can only view metabolically active tissues and inadequate availability of equipment
d. Release of radiation and the need for a patient to be confined to metal tube for up to 30 minutes
c. Can only view metabolically active tissues and inadequate availability of equipment
Name at least three reasons to study anatomy and physiology.
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For whom would an appreciation of the structural characteristics of the human heart come more easily; an alien who lands on Earth, abducts a human, and dissects his heart, or an anatomy and physiology student performing a dissection of the heart on her very first day of class? Why?
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Name the six levels of organization of the human body.
Cells, Tissues, Organs, Organ systems
The female ovaries and the male testes are a part of which body system? Can these organs be members of more than one organ system? Why or why not?
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Explain why the smell of smoke when you are sitting at a campfire does not trigger alarm, but the smell of smoke in your residence hall does.
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Identify three different ways that growth can occur in the human body.
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When you open a bottle of sparkling water, the carbon dioxide gas in the bottle forms bubbles. If the bottle is left open, the water will eventually “go flat.” Explain these phenomena in terms of atmospheric pressure.
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On his midsummer trek through the desert, Josh ran out of water. Why is the particularly dangerous?
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Identify the four components of a negative feedback loop and explain what would happen if secretion of a body chemical controlled by a negative feedback system became too great?
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What regulatory process would your body use if you were trapped by a blizzard in an unheated, uninsulated cabin in the woods?
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In which direction would an MRI scanner move to produce sequential images of the body in the frontal plane, and in which direction would an MRI scanner move to produce sequential images of the body in the sagittal plane?
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If a bullet were to penetrate a lung, which three anterior thoracic body cavities would it enter, and which layer of the serous membrane would it encounter first?
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Which medical imaging technique is most dangerous to use repeatedly, and why?
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Explain why ultrasound imaging is the technique of choice for studying fetal growth and development
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