Homeostasis and Chemical Structure in Human Physiology

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to homeostasis, levels of organization in the human body, chemical structure, and functions relevant to human physiology.

Homeostasis

The body's ability to maintain a stable internal environment despite changes in external conditions.

Levels of Structural Organization

The arrangement of body structures from simplest to most complex: chemical, cellular, tissue, organ, system, and organismal levels.

Negative Feedback

A control mechanism in which a change in a physiological variable triggers a response that counteracts the initial change, helping to maintain homeostasis.

Receptor (Sensor)

A structure that monitors a physiological variable and detects changes in that variable.

Effector

A component in the homeostatic control system that produces a response to restore the monitored variable to its normal range.

Chemical Level

The simplest level of structural organization, consisting of atoms and molecules.

Ionic Bond

A type of chemical bond formed through the electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged ions.

Molarity

A measure of the concentration of a solute in a solution, expressed as the number of moles of solute per liter of solution (mol/L).

Dehydration Synthesis

A chemical reaction that connects two molecules by removing a molecule of water, forming larger molecules like polymers.

Hydrolysis

A chemical reaction that breaks down polymers into monomers by adding water.

pH

A measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution, based on the concentration of hydrogen ions.

Buffer

A substance that minimizes changes in pH by either absorbing excess hydrogen ions or donating hydrogen ions when they are depleted.

Glucose

A simple sugar that is an important energy source in living organisms.

Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP)

A molecule that carries energy within cells; it is the primary energy currency of the cell.

Electrolytes

Ionic species in solution that conduct electricity and are essential for many physiological processes.

Hydrogen Bond

A weak attraction between a hydrogen atom and a highly electronegative atom, essential in the structure of water and biological molecules.