Homeostasis Flashcards
What does homeostasis mean?
All the functions of your body which try to maintain a “constant internal environment”
Which bodily levels need to be controlled?
Ion content, Sugar content, Water content, Temperature
Where do we get ions from?
Ions (eg sodium, Na+) are taken into the body in food, then absorbed into the blood
If the food contains too much of any kind of [ ] then the excess needs to be [ ].
ion
removed
How do we remove ions from the body?
Some ions are lost in sweat
The kidneys remove excess from the blood - this is then got rid of in urine
Where does the sugar come from?
Eating foods containing carbohydrate puts glucose into the blood from the gut
How do we remove glucose from the blood?
The normal metabolism of cells remove glucose from the blood. If you do a lot of vigourous exercise, then much more glucose is removed
How do we maintain blood sugar levels?
Insulin ( a hormone ) helps to maintain the right level of glucose in your blood, so your cells get a constant supply of energy
How does water enter the body?
Through food and drink
How do we lose water?
1) through the skin as sweat
2) via the lungs in breath
3) via the kidneys as urine
(and a bit in faeces)
Describe your urine on a cold day. Why?
Or when you’re not exercising: you don’t sweat as much, so you’ll produce more urine, which will be pale as the waste carried in the urine is more diluted
Describe your urine on a hot day. Why?
Or when you’re exercising: you sweat a lot, so you’ll produce less urine, but this will be more concentrated (deeper colour)
You’ll also lose more water through your breath when you exercise because you breathe faster
Why controls your temperature? How?
A part of the brain controls your body temperature. It’s sensitive to the blood temperature in the brain, and it receives messages from the skin that provide information about skin temperature
At what temperature are enzymes in the human body most efficient?
37⁰C
