Chapter 01 Major Themes of Anatomy and Physiology - Vocabulary Flashcards

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering core terms from the notes on major themes of anatomy and physiology.

Unity of form and function

Anatomy and physiology complement each other and cannot be completely separated; form enables function, and function gives meaning to form.

Anatomy

The study of the structure of the body and its parts.

Physiology

The study of the functions and processes of the body's organs and systems.

Inspection

Visual examination of the body's appearance to study structure.

Palpation

Feeling a structure with the hands to assess form and texture.

Auscultation

Listening to internal body sounds to assess function.

Percussion

Tapping on the body to detect abnormalities via sound and resistance.

Dissection

Cutting and separating tissues to reveal anatomical relationships; often using a cadaver.

Comparative anatomy

Study of anatomy across species to learn about form, function, and evolution.

Radiology

Branch of medicine focused on imaging the inside of the body.

Gross anatomy

Structures visible to the naked eye.

Histology

Microscopic anatomy; study of tissues under a microscope.

Histopathology

Microscopic examination of tissues for signs of disease.

Cytology

Study of the structure and function of cells; ultrastructure studied with electron microscopy.

Neurophysiology

Physiology of the nervous system.

Endocrinology

Physiology of hormones and hormonal signaling.

Pathophysiology

Mechanisms of disease and how disease disrupts normal function.

Comparative physiology

Study of physiological differences across species to understand function.

Inductive method

Process of making many observations to form generalizations and predictions; knowledge grows from repeated observations.

Hypothetico-Deductive method

Formulating a testable hypothesis and testing it; falsifiability is essential.

Sample size

Number of subjects in a study.

Controls

Control group resembles the treatment group but does not receive the treatment.

Psychosomatic effects

Influence of a subject's mental state on physiology; often controlled with placebo.

Double-blind

Neither the subject nor the experimenter knows whether the subject is in the control or treatment group.

Statistical testing

Using statistics to assess the probability that a treatment was effective.

Peer review

Critical evaluation by other experts before funding or publication.

Scientific fact

Information verifiable by independent observation.

Law of nature

Generalization about how matter and energy behave in the natural world.

Theory

Explanatory statement or set of statements derived from facts and hypotheses, guiding further study.

Evolution

Change in the genetic composition of a population over generations.

Natural selection

Process by which selection pressures favor some individuals' reproductive success over others.

Adaptations

Inherited features that evolved in response to pressures to improve survival and reproduction.

Walking upright (bipedalism)

Standing and walking on two legs; an adaptation linked to upright posture.

Hierarchy of Complexity

Organizational levels from atoms to organisms, with emergent properties at higher levels.

Organism

A single, complete individual.

Organ system

Group of related organs that perform a common function.

Organ

Structure composed of two or more tissue types that work together to perform a function.