The Human Body Flashcards
study of structure, or physical form of the body
Anatomy
is the study of how the body and its parts work or function ( physio = nature; ology = the study of
Physiology
atoms combine to form molecules
chemical level of organization
includes cells, the smallest living units in the body
cellular level of organization
collections of 2 or more cells that function together for a specific task
tissue level of organization
A group of similar cells that perform the same function.
tissue
smallest unit of life
cells
composed of 2 or more tissue types that performs a specific function for the body
organ
group of organs that work together to accomplish a common purpose
organ system
11 organ systems make up living human being, or the organism
-highest level of organization
organismal level of organization
the external covering of the body, or the skin, including the hair and fingernails
integumentary system
the muscles of the body
muscular system
its function is to contract, shorten and when this happens, movement occurs
muscles
body’s fast-acting control system
nervous system
detect changes in temperature, pressure, or light and send messages to the central nervous system
sensory receptors
controls body activities, but acts much more slowly than the nervous system
endocrine system
produce chemical molecules called hormones and release them into the blood to travel to relatively distant target organs
endocrine glands
primary organs are the heart and blood vessels
-delivers oxygen, nutrients, hormones, and other substances to, and picks up waste such as carbon dioxide from, cells near sites of exchange
cardiovascular system
help protect the body from such foreign invaders as bacteria, viruses, and tumor cells
white blood cells
pumps blood out of its chambers into blood vessels to be transported to all body tissues
heart
its organs include lymphatic vessels, lymph nodes, and other lymphoid organs such as spleen and tonsils
-helps clean blood and house white blood cells
lymphatic system
its job is to keep the body supplied with oxygen and to remove carbon dioxide
respiratory system
is basically a tube running through the body from mouth to anus
digestive system
removes nitrogen-containing wastes from the blood and flushes them from the body in urine
-maintaining body’s water and salt balance, regulating the acid -base balance of the blood, helping regulate normal blood pressure
urinary system
its role is to produce offspring
reproductive system
includes all activities promoted by the muscular system, such as propelling ourselves from one place to another an manipulating the external environment with our fingers.
movement
nutrients and wastes passes between blood and cells via…
interstitial fluid
the ability to sense changes (stimuli) in the environment and then to react to them.
responsiveness
the process of breaking down ingested food into simple molecules that can then be absorbed into the blood
digestion
broad term that refers to all chemical reactions that occur within the body and all of its cells
- regulated chiefly by hormones secreted by the glands of the endocrine system
metabolism
is the process of removing excreta
(ek-skre′tah), or wastes, from the body.
excretion
which the body takes in through
food, contain the chemicals used for energy and
cell building.
nutrients
major energy-providing fuel for the body cells
carbohydrates
essential for building cell structures
protein and fats
cushion body organs and provide reserve fuel
fats
required for the chemical reactions that go on in cells and for oxygen transport in the blood
minerals and vitamins
accounts for 60 to 80 percent of body
weight, depending on the age of the individual. It is
the single most abundant chemical substance in the
body and provides the fluid base for body secretions and excretions.
water
The force exerted on the surface of the body
by the weight of air
atmospheric pressure
accurately describe body parts and position,
-we always
assume that the body is in a standard position
anatomical position
cranial or cephalic
-Toward the head end or upper part
of a structure or the body; above
e.g
The forehead is superior to
the nose.
superior
caudal
-Away from the head end or toward
the lower part of a structure or the
body; below
e.g
The navel is inferior to the
breastbone
inferior
ventral
-Toward or at the front of the body;
in front of
e.g.
The breastbone is anterior to the
spine.
anterior
dorsal
-Toward or at the backside of the
body; behind
e.g
The heart is posterior to the
breastbone.
posterior
Toward or at the midline of the body;
on the inner side of
e.g.
The heart is medial to the arm.
medial
Away from the midline of the body;
on the outer side of
e.g.
The arms are lateral to the chest.
lateral
Close to the origin of the body part
or the point of attachment of a limb
to the body trunk
e.g. The elbow is proximal to the wrist (meaning that the elbow is closer to the shoulder or attachment point of the arm than the wrist is).
proximal
Farther from the origin of a body
part or the point of attachment of a
limb to the body trunk
e.g.
The knee is distal to the thigh.
distal
external
- Toward or at the body surface
e.g.
The skin is superficial to the
skeleton.
superficial
internal
-Away from the body surface; more
internal
e.g.
The lungs are deep to the rib
cage.
deep
