Chapter 1 - Intro to the Human Body - Vocab Flashcards
anatomy
the science of body structures and the relationships among them
physiology
the science of body functions - how the body parts work
dissection
the careful cutting apart of body structures to study their relationships
atoms
the smallest units of matter that participate in chemical reactions
molecules
two or more atoms joined together
cells
the basic structural and functional units of an organism that are composed of chemicals
tissues
groups of cells and the materials surrounding them that work together to perform a particular function
organs
structures that are composed of two or more different types of tissues; they have specific functions and usually have recognizable shapes
system
consists of related organs with a common function
organism
any living individual - all the parts of the human body functioning together to constitute the total organism
noninvasive diagnostic technique
one that does not involve insertion of an instrument or device through the skin or a body opening
inspection
the examiner observes the body for any changes that deviate from normal
palpation
the examiner feels body surfaces with the hands
auscultation
the examiner listens to body sounds to evaluate the functioning of certain organs, often using a stethoscope to amplify the sounds
percussion
the examiner taps on the body surface with fingertips and listens to the resulting sound
metabolism
the sum of all chemical processes that occur in the body
catabolism
the breakdown of complex chemical substances into simpler components
anabolism
the building up of complex chemical substances from smaller, simpler components
responsivenss
the body’s ability to detect and respond to changes
movement
includes motion of the whole body, individual organs, single cells, and even tiny structures inside cells
growth
an increase in body size that results from an increase in the size of existing cells, an increase in the number of cells, or both
differentiation
the development of a cell from an unspecialized to a specialized state
reproduction
refers to either (1) the formation of new cells for tissue growth, repair, or replacement or (2) the production of a new individual
autopsy
a postmortem examination of the body and dissection of its internal organs to confirm or determine the cause of death
homeostasis
the condition of equilibrium (balance) in the body’s internal environment due to the constant interaction of the body’s many regulatory processes
body fluids
dilute, watery solutions containing dissolved chemicals that are found inside cells as well as surrounding them