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Homeostasis

The body's ability to maintain stable internal conditions.

Positive Feedback Mechanism

Promotes (amplifies) a physiological trend.

Negative Feedback Mechanism

Reverses a physiological trend to return to a set-point.

Atom

The smallest unit of an element.

Proton

A positively charged particle that determines the identity of an element.

Neutron

A particle with no electrical charge found in the nucleus of an atom.

Valence Electrons

Electrons that occupy the outermost shell of an atom.

Covalent Bond

A bond formed when two atoms share electrons.

Polarity

A property of water that allows it to combine well with ionic or polar solutes.

Hydrophilic

Substances that are water-loving and can easily dissolve in water.

Hydrophobic

Substances that repel water or do not easily dissolve in it.

Ionization

The transfer of electrons from one atom to another.

Electrolyte

A substance that produces ions when dissolved in water and is important for establishing gradients across membranes.

Osmosis

The process of water molecules moving through a cell membrane from an area of higher to lower solute concentration.

Suspension

A mixture where solid particles do not dissolve in a liquid.

Colloid

A mixture with particles that remain distributed throughout the solution.

Exocytosis

A process by which a secretory vesicle releases its contents outside the cell.

Endocytosis

A process that moves substances into a cell by forming vesicles from the cell membrane.

Glycoprotein

A molecule that acts as a cell identity marker and helps with cell recognition and communication.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

A medical condition associated with compression of the median nerve in the wrist.

Kinetic Energy

Energy in motion.

Potential Energy

Energy stored in an object due to its position relative to other objects.

Skeletal Muscle

Muscle tissue that is attached to bones and enables movement.