Homeostasis

Question 1

What is homeostasis?

Answer 1

Homeostasis is the maintenance of a constant internal environment.

Question 2

What six things need to be controlled?

Answer 2

1) body temperature
2) water content
3) ion content
4) blood sugar levels
5) carbon dioxide levels
6) removal of urea

Question 3

Why does body temperature need to be controlled?

Answer 3

Enzymes work best at around 37C, and if it gets too hot or too cold then the enzymes will denature, which means they won’t work properly.

Question 4

What happens when you’re too hot? (3 points)

Answer 4

1) hairs lie flat
2) sweat is produced by sweat glands and evaporates from the skin, which removes heat
3) blood vessels to the skin dilate so more blood flows close to the surface, so more heat can be transferred from the blood to the environment

Question 5

What happens when you’re too cold? (4 points)

Answer 5

1) hairs stand up
2) no sweat is produced
3) blood vessels close off the skin’s blood supply
4) shivering, which requires respiration which releases energy to warm the body