puberty

Question 1

Puberty

Answer 1

The stage of adolescence in which an individual becomes physiologically capable of sexual reproduction

• is also triggered by a series of hormone signals from the brain
• typically occurs around the age of 10-14 for girls and 12-16 for boys, but can be earlier or later (these ages have dropped over the years, as people are healthier)

Question 2

Primary Sex Characteristics

Answer 2

Those structures in the body that define a person as male or female

Question 3

Secondary Sex Characteristics

Answer 3

Those characteristics that become present at or after the onset of puberty

Question 4

Shared Secondary Sex Characteristics (guys and girls)

Answer 4

• increased production of oil under the skin (acne)
• pubic hair
• increase in body odor
• increase in body hair (armpits and legs for girls and armpits, face, legs; chest for boys)
• emotional instability

Question 5

Female Secondary Sex Characteristics

Answer 5

estrogen causes:

• increase in body fat (in prep. for pregnancy)
• breast development (in prep. for lactation and feeding)
• broader hips (in prep. for growth of fetus in the womb (uterus))
• pubic hair (catch natural scent; regulate temp.)
• menstruation

Question 6

Male Secondary Sex Characteristics

Answer 6

testosterone causes:

• voice deepens
• facial hair grows
• shoulders broaden
• increased body hair
• pubic hair grows toward navel
• more muscular body
• enlargement of penis and testes to mature in size (in prep. for sexual intercourse)

Question 7

Menstruation

Answer 7

Onset of ovulation (release of eggs for fertilization) (for females)
-usually occurs 2-2.5 years after the development of breasts

Question 8

Lactation

Answer 8

Milk production

Question 9

Pheromones

Answer 9

Our natural scent

Question 10

Estrogen

Answer 10

Female sex hormone

Question 11

Testosterone

Answer 11

Male sex hormone

Question 12

Ovulation

Answer 12

Release of eggs for fertilization