Homeostasis

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homeostasis

Back 1

the maintenance of a stable internal environment during changing external environments.

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Set point

Back 2

the target value that is maintained by homeostasis, the original stable state.

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Stimulus

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A change in internal or external environment that influences a response in the organism.

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Receptor

Back 4

specialised structure that can detect a specific stimulus and initiate an action

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control centre

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determines an appropriate response to the stimulus

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Negative feedback

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Mechanism whereby a change in a physiological condition triggers a response that re-establishes homeostatis.

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Positive Feedback

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Mechanisms that amplify a physiological response to achieve a particular result

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Reflex

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automatic, instinctive reaction to a stimulus

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Thermoregulation

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Ability of organisms to maintain it's body temperature between certain boundaries, although changing external temperature

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Endocrine

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Hormones or glands secreting internally and distributed around the body by the blood stream

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Conduction

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Process by which heat is directly transmitted through the material of a substance of a different temperature

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Convection

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Consequent transfer of heat by movement of hotter fluid rising and colder fluid sinking under the influence.

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Radiation

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Process by which energy is emitted by waves

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Evaporation

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Process of changing water into water vapour

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Metabolic rate

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amount of energy per unit time used by an organism

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Vasoconstriction/ vasodilation

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constriction of blood cells, increasing blood pressure/ dilating of blood cells, decreasing blood pressure

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Osmoregulation

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regulation of osmotic pressure of organisms fluids to maintain the homeostasis of the organisms water content

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Isotonic

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A muscle contraction in which the muscle remains in a constant tension while its length changes

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Hypertonic

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having a higher osmotic pressure than a particular fluid

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hypotonic

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having a lower osmotic pressure than a particular fluid

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osmoregulator

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organism can regulate the solutes of its body fluid different to concentrations of solutes in external environment

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osmoconformer

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body fluid solute concentration is the same as the solute concentration of the external environment

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Metabolic water

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water provided by cellular respiration

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Metabolism

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total of physical and chemical processes that energy is made available