Homeostasis Flashcards
Define ‘homeostasis’
All the functions in your body which try to maintain a ‘constant internal environment’
Why must certain things be kept at the right level within your body?
To keep all your cells working properly
Name 4 bodily levels that need to be controlled
- Ion content
- Sugar content
- Water content
- Temperature
Which organs regulate ion content?
The kidneys
Give an example of an ion
Sodium, Na+
Ions are taken into the body in ____, then ____ into the ____ .
Ions are taken into the body in food, then absorbed into the blood.
How do ions get into the body?
They are taken in in food
What happens if food contains too much of an ion?
The excess ions need to be removed
Give an example of food containing too much of an ion
A salty meal containing too much Na+
Name 2 ways that excess ions are removed
- Some are lost in sweat
- The kideneys will remove excess from the blood - this is then gotten rid of in urine
Eating what kind of food causes glucose to be put into the blood?
Carbohydrates
Where does the glucose put into the blood come from?
The gut
If you aren’t exercising, describe how glucose is removed from the blood
The normal metabolism of cells removes glucose from the blood
What happens to how much glucose is removed from the blood when you do a lot of vigorous exercise?
Much more glucose is removed from the blood
Which hormone helps to maintain the right levels of glucose in your blood?
Insulin
Why does insulin need to help maintain the right level of glucose in your blood?
So your cells get a constant supply of energy
There’s a need for the body to ____ ____ the water coming in against the water coming out
There’s a need for the body to constantly balance the water coming in against the water coming out
Name the 2 ways water is taken into the body
- As food
- As drink
Name the 3 main ways and the 4th ways that water is lost from the body
- Through the skin as sweat
- Via the lungs as breath
- Via the kidneys as urine
(4. Some is also lost in faeces)
Name 2 things that the balance between sweat and urine can depend upon
- How much exercise you’re doing
- The weather
Describe the balance of sweat and urine (+ urine detail) produced by the body on a cold day when you aren’t exercising much
You don’t sweat much
SO
You’ll produce more urine which will be pale
Why does yor urine go pale when you don’t sweat much?
The water carried in the urine is more diluted
Describe the balance of sweat and urine (+ urine detail) produced by the body on a hot day when you are exercising
Where else will you water?
Why
You sweat a lot
SO
You’ll produce less urine which will be a deeper colour
You will also lose more water through your breath
Because when you exercise you breathe faster
Why will your urine ne a deeper colour on a hot day when you’re exercising?
Because you will lose more water in your sweat and your breath so your urine will be more concentrated
Which organ controls body temperature?
The brain
What temperature does the body try to maintain?
37oC
Why does your body try to maintain a constant temperature of 37oC?
Because that is the temperature that the enzymes within the human body work best at
Explain how your brain works in terms of keeping yor body at a constant temperature
(2)
- A part of the brain is sensitive to the blood temperature in the brain
- It receives messages from the skin that provide information about skin temperature
Which 2 substances do sports drinks often include?
- Electrolytes
- Carbohydrates
Why do sports drinks often contain electrolytes?
To replace the salts lost in sweat
Why do sports drinks often contain carbohydrates?
To give you an energy boost (more glucose in blood to be used in respiration be your cells)
