Osmoregulation - Topic 1

Question 1

What is osmoregulation?

Answer 1

The maintenance of constant osmotic conditions (water and concentration) in the body called osmoregulation

Question 2

Why is osmoregulation important?

Answer 2

Salts form ions in solution and cells require the concentration of ions to be kept within narrow limits

Question 3

What happens when salt levels are too high?

Answer 3

If salt levels are too high outside of cells (hypertonic) then water will move by osmosis out of the cell causing the shell to shrivel

Question 4

What happens if salt levels are too low?

Answer 4

If salt levels are too low outside cells (hypotonic) then water will move into cells causing them to swell and possibly burst (lyse)

Question 5

What is maintaining water balance?

Answer 5

Water balance involves regulating the intake and loss of both water and salt

Question 6

How much water is needed per day?

Answer 6

2500mL per day obtained through metabolic activity, drinking and eating

Question 7

What are osmoconformers?

Answer 7

Animals that change the internal osmotic concentration of their body fluids to maintain the same osmotic concentration of the external environments

Question 8

Example of Osmoconformers?

Answer 8

Marine invertebrates

Question 9

What are osmoregulators?

Answer 9

Animals that maintain the internal osmotic concentration of their body fluids regardless of external concentration changes

Question 10

What is the role of the kidney?

Answer 10

The role of the kidney is to remove wastes from blood for excretion

Question 11

What receptors monitor changes in water levels?

Answer 11

Osmoreceptors and Barometers

Question 12

What are osmoreceptors?

Answer 12

specialized cells that detect changes in osmotic pressure and solute concentration in body fluids, triggering responses to maintain water and electrolyte balance in osmoregulation. located in hypothalamus

Question 13

What are barometers?

Answer 13

Detect changes in the fluid balance and osmotic pressure to help maintain homeostasis and are located in the atria of the heart

Question 14

What do osmoreceptors and barometers contribute to?

Answer 14

They both contribute towards the osmotic effects on cells (osmolarity)

Question 15

What does osmolality measure?

Answer 15

Osmolality is a measure of the concentration of solute particles in a solution, expressed as the number of osmoles per kilogram of solvent.

Question 16

What does osmolarity measure?

Answer 16

Osmolarity is a measure of the concentration of solute particles in a solution, expressed as the number of osmoles per liter of solution.