Homeostasis Flashcards
(264 cards)
what is homeostasis
the regulation of the internal conditions of a cell or organism to maintain optimum conditions for function in response to internal and external changes
what does homeostasis help maintain
optimal conditions for enzyme action and all cell functions
what does homeostasis control in the human body
blood glucose concentration
body temperature
water levels
what can the automatic control systems be
nervous or chemical responses
what do all control systems have
receptors
coordination centres
effectors
what are receptors
cells that detect stimuli (changes in the environment)
what do coordination centres do
process the information received from the receptors e.g brain, spinal cord and pancreas
what do effectors do
bring about responses to bring the conditions in the body back to optimum levels , eg muscles or glands
what does the nervous system allow us to do
react to our surroundings and coordinate actions in response to stimuli
how does the nervous system work (4 steps)
- receptor cells convert a stimulus into an electrical impulse
- this electrical impulse travels along cells called sensory neurons to the central nervous system (CNS)
- here the information is processed and the appropriate response is coordinated resulting in a electrical impulse being sent along motor neurones to effectors
- the effectors carry out the response (muscles contracting or glands secreting hormones)
what are reflexes
automatic responses which take place before you have time to think
why are reflexes important
prevent the individual from getting hurt
where does the information travel for a reflex
down a pathway called a reflex arc
how does the reflex arc help reflexes
allows vital responses to take place quickly
why is the reflex arc an unusual response to stimuli
the impulse does not pass through the conscious areas of your brain
how does a reflex happen (5 steps)
- a stimulus is detected by receptors
- impulses are sent along a sensory neuron
- in the cns the impulse passes to a relay neuron
- impulses are sent along a motor neuron
- the impulse reaches an effector resulting in the appropriate response
examples of reflex arcs
pupils getting smaller to avoid damage from bright lights
moving your hand from a hot surface to prevent damage
what are synapses
the gaps between two neurons
how does a response work with synapses (3 )
1.when the impulse reaches the end of the first neuron a chemical is released into the synapse
2. the chemical diffuses across the synapse
3. when the chemical reaches the second neuron, it triggers the impulse to begin again in the next neuron
what is reaction time
how long it takes you to respond to a stimulus.
how can reaction time be measured
ruler drop test
what is the brain made up of
many connected neurons
what does the brain control
complex behaviour
what is the brain a part of
the central nervous system along with the spinal cord