B5 Flashcards
Define homeostasis
The regulations of the internal conditions of an organism to maintain a stable internal environment, in response to internal and external changes
What does homeostasis control (in humans)?
- blood glucose concentration
- body temperature
- water levels
What are the two types of responses that may be involved in automatic control systems?
- nervous responses
- chemical responses
What are the three main components that make all automatic control systems? Give their functions.
- receptors- detect stimuli
- coordination centres(e.g. brain, spinal cord, pancreas)- receive and process information from receptors and organise a response
- effectors(muscles or glands)- bring about responses which counteract the change and restore the optimum level
What is a stimulus?
a change in the environment
What’s a negative feedback cycle?
Where a change is detected and a response is produced to counteract the change and maintain optimum conditions
What is the endocrine system?
It relies on hormones which travel through the entire body via the bloodstream.
It’s typically slower, longer-lasting and more generalised than the nervous system
What does the nervous system allow humans to do?
The nervous system allows humans to react to their surroundings and coordinate their behaviour
How does the nervous system work?
Sends very fast and precise electrical impulses via nerves which allows fast responses
What are the different parts that make up the nervous system?
- Central Nervous System (CNS)- vertebrates=brain and spinal cord, mammals= connected to the body by sensory neurones and motor neurones
- Sensory neurones- the neurones that carry information as electrical impulses from the receptors to the CNS
- Motor neurones- the neurons that carry electrical impulses from the CNS to the effectors.
- Effectors- all the muscles and glands, which respond to nervous impulses
Give examples of some receptors in the human body(e.g. taste, sight, hearing…)
• taste - receptors on the tongue
• sound - receptors in the ears (small hairs on the cochlea)
• sight - the retina (of the eye) is covered in light receptor cells
How do muscles and glands respond in different ways?
• muscles - contract in response to a nervous impulse
• glands - secrete hormones
What is the CNS?
the Central Nervous System is a coordination centre that receives information from the receptors and then coordinates a response, which is carried out by effectors
What is a synapse?
the connection between two neurones
What are neurotransmitters?
the chemicals which diffuse across the synapse and bind to the receptor of the next neurone
What are reflexes?
Reflexes are rapid, automatic responses to certain stimuli; they do not involve the conscious part of the brain
What happens to your eyes when a bright light is shone in them?
your pupils automatically get smaller so that less light gets into the eye- this stops it getting damaged
What happens if you get a shock?
Your body releases the hormones adrenaline automatically
Define the term reflex arc
the passage of information in a reflex (from receptor to effector)
What is the eye?
A sense organ containing receptors sensitive to light intensity and colour
What is the function of the cornea?
The transparent region of the sclera which refracts light as it enters the eye
What is the function of the sclera?
the tough white outer layer of the eye which provides protection
What is the function of the iris?
It has sets of muscles to control the size of the pupil and how much light is able to enter
What is the function of the lens?
Further refracts light to focus it onto the retina
What does the retina contain?
contains the light sensitive receptor cells
What is the function of the optic nerve?
carries impulses from the retina to the brain
Explain the role of the ciliary muscles and suspensory ligaments
Control the shape of the lens to focus light on the retina
What is accommodation?
The process of changing the shape of the lens to focus on near or distant objects
What happens when we focus on a near object?
• the ciliary muscles contract
• the suspensory ligaments loosen
• the lens is then thicker and able to refract light rays strongly
What happens when we focus on a distant object?
• the ciliary muscles relax
• the suspensory ligaments are pulled tight
• the lens is pulled thin and only refracts light rays slightly