Enrichment Activity 1 8 1

Enrichment Questions

Instructions: This is an honors level course. Answer all questions fully using complete sentences. If you want full credit, please provide plenty of details.

1. How is the concept of homeostasis related to aging and disease? Provide examples to support your thinking.

The human body has to maintain homeostasis at all times. If not, the body can become ill and desist to function properly, in some instances death can occur. If your body is weakened, it then becomes harder to maintain this state. The inefficiencies gradually result in an unstable internal environment that increases the risk for illness. Homeostatic imbalance is also responsible for the physical changes associated with aging. When the equilibrium that is maintained with homeostasis is compromised, the body begins to slowly deteriorate.

2. When we are dehydrated, we are thirsty and drink water. Is this part of negative or positive feedback control systems? Explain your reasoning.

When you are dehydrated it results in low blood pressure. Homeostasis then stimulates the center within the brain which causes the feeling of thirst and results in your need to intake water. Once you have consumed the water blood pressure increases, thus making it a negative feedback mechanism.

3. Why would you have a hard time understanding physiology if you did not also understand anatomy?

Physiology is the study of how the human body works, but if you don’t know the first thing about basic human anatomy (The human body), than it would be much more difficult to figure out what is supposed to be doing which functions where in the body.

4. Describe the different body cavities.

* Cranial Cavity- Encases brain

* Spinal Cavity- Runs within the vertebral column and encases the spinal cord

* Thoracic Cavity

* Pleural- Each houses a lung

* Mediastinum- Contains the pericardial cavity and surrounds the remaining thoracic organs

* Pericardial- encloses...