Homeostasis Flashcards
What is homeostasis?
It is the maintenance of a constant internal environment in an organism
What must humans maintain for homeostasis?
temperature, fluid balance, chemical composition
How is the need for body temperature determined in animals?
It is determined by the fact that temperature regulates the rate of chemical (especially enzyme-controlled) reactions.
What do high temperatures do to enzymes?
They damage/denature them
What do low temperatures do to reactions?
It will slow them down
What 2 methods do animals use to control their temperature?
ectothermy and endothermy
Define ectotherms
Ectotherms gain or lose heat from or to their external environment
Define endotherms
Endotherms generate their own heat from metabolic reactions
How do endotherms produce their own heat?
from respiration
Give an example of endotherms (warm-blooded animals)
dogs, cats, mice, humans
Give an example of ectotherms( cold-blooded animals)
fish, frogs, snakes, lizards
