Chapter 1: The Human Body Flashcards by Barbara Powell

the study of the structure and shape of the body and its parts and their relationships to one another

What is Anatomy?

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

the study of how the body and its parts work or function

What is Physiology?

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

_____ and _____ are always related. The parts of your body form a well-organized unit, and each of those parts has a job to do to make the body operate as a whole. Structure determines what functions can take place.

What are Anatomy & Physiology?

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

tiny building blocks of matter, combine to form molecules such as water, sugar, and proteins.

What is an Atom?

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

associate in specific ways to form microscopic cells, the smallest units of all living things.

What are Molecules?

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

the basic biological unit of living organisms, containing a nucleus and a variety of organelles enclosed by a limiting membrane.

What is a Cell?

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

The simplest living creatures are composed of single cells, but in complex organisms such as trees or human beings, the structural ladder continues on to the _____.

What is the Tissue Level?

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

_____ consist of groups of similar cells that have a common function

What is Tissues?

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

epithelial
connective
muscular
neural

What are the 4 Basic Tissue Types?

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

a structure composed of two or more tissue types that performs a specific function for the body

What is Organ?

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

At this level of organization, extremely complex functions become possible. For example, the small intestine, which digests and absorbs food, is composed of all four tissue types.

What is the Organ Level?

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

a group of organs that work together to accomplish a common purpose

What is an Organ System?

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

the external covering of the body, or the skin

What is Integumentary System?

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

consists of bones, cartilages, ligaments, and joints. It supports the body and provides a framework that the skeletal muscles use to cause movement

What is the Skeletal System?

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

formation of blood cells, takes place within the cavities of the skeleton

What is Hematopoiesis?

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

The muscles of the body have only one function, which is to _____.

What is Contract?

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

The skeletal muscles form the _____.

What is Muscular System?

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

is the body’s fast-acting control system. It consists of the brain, spinal cord, nerves, and sensory receptors.

What is the Nervous System?

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

_____ system controls body activities, but it acts much more slowly. The _____ glands produce chemical molecules called hormones and release them into the blood to travel to relatively distant target organs.

What is Endocrine?

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

_____ include the pituitary, thyroid, parathyroids, adrenals, thymus, pancreas, pineal, ovaries (in the female), and testes (in the male)

What is Endocrine System?

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

The primary organs of the _____ _____ are the heart and blood vessels.

What is Cardiovascular System?

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

The role of the _____ _____ complements that of the cardiovascular system. Its organs include lymphatic vessels, lymph nodes, and other lymphoid organs such as the spleen and tonsils. The lymphatic vessels return fluid leaked from the blood back to the blood vessels so that blood can be kept continuously circulating through the body.

What is the Lymphatic System?

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

The job of the _____ _____ is to keep the body constantly supplied with oxygen and to remove carbon dioxide. The _____ _____ consists of the nasal passages, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, and lungs. Within the lungs are tiny air sacs. It is through the thin walls of these air sacs that gases are transported to and from the blood.

What is the Respiratory System?

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

The _____ _____ is basically a tube running through the body from mouth to anus. The organs of the _____ _____ include the oral cavity (mouth), esophagus, stomach, small and large intestines, and rectum. Their role is to break down food and deliver the products to the blood for dispersal to the body cells.

What is the Digestive System?

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

The _____ _____ removes the nitrogen-containing wastes from the blood and flushes them from the body in urine. This system, often called the *excretory system* , is composed of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra.

What is the Urinary System?

The _____ _____ exists primarily to produce offspring. The testes of the male produce sperm. Other male reproductive system structures are the scrotum, penis, accessory glands, and the duct system, which carries sperm to the outside of the body. The ovaries of the female produce eggs, or ova; the female duct system consists of the uterine tubes, uterus, and vagina. The uterus provides the site for the development of the fetus (immature infant) once fertilization has occurred.

What is the Reproductive System?

_____ includes all the activities promoted by the muscular system, such as propelling ourselves from one place to another (by walking, swimming, and so forth) and manipulating the external environment with our fingers.

What is Movement?

_____ or _____ is the ability to sense changes (stimuli) in the environment and then to react to them. For example, if you cut your hand on broken glass, you involuntarily pull your hand away from the painful stimulus (the broken glass). You do not need to think about it—it just happens!

What is Responsiveness? OR What is Irritability?

_____is the process of breaking down ingested food into simple molecules that can then be absorbed into the blood.

What is Digestion?

_____ is a broad term that refers to all chemical reactions that occur within body cells. It includes breaking down complex substances into simpler building blocks, making larger structures from smaller ones, and using nutrients and oxygen to produce molecules of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the energy-rich molecules that power cellular activities.

What is Metabolism?

_____ is the process of removing excreta (ek-skre′tah), or wastes, from the body. If the body is to continue to operate as we expect it to, it must get rid of the nonuseful substances produced during digestion and metabolism. Several organ systems participate in excretion. For example, the digestive system rids the body of indigestible food residues in feces, and the urinary system disposes of nitrogen-containing metabolic wastes in urine.

What is Excretion?

_____, the production of offspring, can occur on the cellular or organismal level. In cellular reproduction, the original cell divides, producing two identical daughter cells that may then be used for body growth or repair. Reproduction of the human organism, or making a whole new person, is the task of the organs of the reproductive system, which produce sperm and eggs.

What is Reproduction?

_____ describes the body’s ability to maintain relatively stable internal conditions even though the outside world is continuously changing. Although the literal translation of _____ is “unchanging” (homeo = the same; stasis = standing still), the term does not really mean an unchanging state. Instead, it indicates a dynamic state of equilibrium, or a balance in which internal conditions change and vary but always within relatively narrow limits.

What is Homeostasis?

all homeostatic control mechanisms have at least three components

What are Receptor, Control Center, and Effector?

_____ is some type of sensor that monitors and responds to changes in the environment. It responds to such changes, called stimuli, by sending information (input) to the second element, the control center

What is Receptor?

_____ determines the level (set point) at which a variable is to be maintained, analyzes the information it receives and then determines the appropriate response or course of action.

What is Control Center?

_____ which provides the means for the control center’s response (output) to the stimulus. Information flows from the control center to the effector along the efferent pathway. (Efferent information exits from the control center.) The results of the response then feed back to influence the stimulus, either by depressing it (negative feedback), so that the whole control mechanism is shut off; or by enhancing it (positive feedback), so that the reaction continues at an even faster rate.

What is Effector?

Most homeostatic control mechanisms are _____ the net effect of the response to the stimulus is to shut off the original stimulus or reduce its intensity.

What is Negative Feedback Mechanisms?

_____ _____ _____ are rare in the body because they tend to increase the original disturbance (stimulus) and to push the variable farther from its original value. Typically these mechanisms control infrequent events that occur explosively and do not require continuous adjustments.

What is Positive Feedback Mechanisms?

Homeostasis is so important that most disease can be regarded as a result of its disturbance, a condition called homeostatic imbalance. As we age, our body organs become less efficient, and our internal conditions become less and less stable. These events place us at an increasing risk for illness and produce the changes we associate with aging. Examples of homeostatic imbalance will be provided throughout this book to enhance your understanding of normal physiological mechanisms. These homeostatic imbalance sections are preceded by the symbol to alert you that an abnormal condition is being described.

Homeostatic Imbalance Example

Stand up and assume the anatomical position. Notice that it is similar to “standing at attention” but is less comfortable because the palms are held unnaturally forward (with thumbs pointing away from the body) rather than hanging cupped toward the thighs.

What is the Anatomical Position?

_____ _____ allow medical personnel and anatomists to explain exactly where one body structure is in relation to another. For example, we can describe the relationship between the ears and the nose informally by saying, “The ears are located on each side of the head to the right and left of the nose.” Using anatomical terminology, this condenses to, “The ears are lateral to the nose.”

What are Directional Terms?

Toward the head end or upper part of a structure of the body; "above"

What is Superior? | cranial or cephalad

Away from the head end or toward the lower part of a structure or the body; below

What is Inferior (caudal)

Toward or at the front of the body; in front of

What is Ventral (anterior)

Toward or at the backside of the body; behind

What is Dorsal (posterior)

Toward or at the midline of the body; on the inner side of >|<

What is Medial

Away from the midline of the body; on the outer side of < | >

What is Lateral

Close to the origin of the body part or the point of attachment of a limb to the body trunk

What is Proximal

Farther from the origin of a body part or the point of attachment of a limb to the body trunk

What is Distal

Toward or at the body surface

What is Superficial (external)

Away from the body surface; more internal

What is Deep (internal)

Spinal cavity and Cranial cavity make this up ("the back")

What is the Dorsal Body Cavity

Space inside the bony skull

What is Cranial Cavity

Extends from the cranial cavity nearly to the end of the vertebral column. The spinal cord, which is a continuation of the brain, is protected by the vertebrae, which surrounds the spinal cavity.

What is the Spinal Cavity

This contains all the structures within the chest and abdomen (the visceral organs in those regions); "the front" Contains the thoracic cavity, the diaphragm, the mediastinum.

What is the Ventral Body Cavity

Inferior to the diaphragm; divided into "abdominal" cavity and "pelvic" cavity

What is Abdominopelvic Cavity?

When the body is subjected to physical trauma (as often happens in an automobile accident, for example), the most vulnerable abdominopelvic organs are those within the abdominal cavity. The reason is that the abdominal cavity walls are formed only of trunk muscles and are not reinforced by bone. The pelvic organs receive a somewhat greater degree of protection from the bony pelvis in which they reside.

Homeostatic Imbalance Example

Right Upper Quadrant (RUQ) Left Upper Quadrant (LUQ) Right Lower Quadrant (RLQ) Left Lower Quadrant (LLQ)

The 4 quadrants of the abdominopelvic cavity

Centermost region in the abdominopelvic cavity, deep to and surrounding the umbilicus

What is The Umbilical Region

Region located superior to the umbilical region (epi - upon, above; gastric - stomach)

What is the Epigastric Region

Region inferior to the umbilical region

What is the Hypogastric (pubic) Region

Regions lateral to the hypogastric region

What are the Right and Left Iliac (or inguinal) Regions

These regions lie lateral to the umbilical region

What are the Right and Left Lumbar Regions

These regions flank the epigastric region and contain the lower ribs

What are the Right and Left Hypochondriac Regions

Mouth, teeth, tongue

What is Oral Cavity

Located within and posterior to the nose, the nasal cavity is part of the respiratory system passageways.

What is Nasal Cavity

The orbital cavities (orbits) in the skull house the eyes and present them in an anterior position.

What is Orbital Cavity

The middle ear cavities carved into the skull lie just medial to the eardrums. These cavities contain tiny bones that transmit sound vibrations to the hearing receptors in the inner ears

What is Middle Ear Cavity