the excretory system

Excretory System

Responsible for removing waste products and excess substances from the body to maintain internal balance (homeostasis).

Kidneys

Filter blood to remove waste (such as urea), excess water, and salts, forming urine.

Ureters

Tubes that transport urine from the kidneys to the bladder.

Bladder

Stores urine until it is ready to be expelled.

Urethra

Carries urine from the bladder out of the body.

Liver

Processes toxins and waste products.

Lungs

Excrete carbon dioxide and water vapor.

Skin

Removes waste through sweat.

Nephrons

Functional units in the kidneys that filter blood.

Renal Artery

Supplies oxygenated blood to the kidneys.

Renal Vein

Carries filtered blood away from the kidneys.

Filtration

Blood is filtered in the kidneys (specifically in the nephrons) to remove waste, excess water, and toxins.

Reabsorption

Essential substances like water, glucose, and ions are reabsorbed into the bloodstream to maintain balance.

Secretion

Additional waste products and excess ions are actively transported from the blood into the urine.

Storage

Urine is temporarily stored in the bladder until it is ready to be excreted.

Excretion

Urine is expelled from the body through the urethra, removing metabolic waste.

Urea

A nitrogen-containing waste product formed in the liver from the breakdown of proteins and excreted by the kidneys in urine.

Carbon Dioxide (CO₂)

A waste gas produced during cellular respiration and expelled from the body through the lungs.

Nitrogenous Waste

Waste products containing nitrogen, such as urea, uric acid, and ammonia, which result from the metabolism of proteins and nucleic acids.

Waste

Unwanted or excess substances produced by the body’s metabolic processes that need to be excreted to maintain homeostasis.