CH1 - INTRO & TERMINOLOGY -

A comprehensive set of practice flashcards covering core concepts from Chapter 1: anatomy vs physiology, levels of organization, regional terms, body sections, cavities, pleura/peritoneum, and homeostasis with negative and positive feedback.

What does anatomy study?

The structure of living things, including macroscopic and microscopic features.

What does physiology study?

The function of living systems and how their parts work together.

What is the major principle linking anatomy and physiology?

Anatomy structure determines physiology (function); you must understand structure to understand how things work.

What is the chemical level of organization?

The lowest level of organization, including elements and chemical compounds that make up the body's tissues and organs.

Name three elements mentioned in the notes.

Sodium, potassium, and chlorine.

What is the difference between inorganic and organic compounds?

Inorganic compounds lack a carbon backbone (e.g., water, sodium chloride); organic compounds contain carbon (e.g., carbohydrates, proteins, fats).

What are the three major organic macromolecules listed?

Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.

What is an organelle?

A structure inside a cell with a specific function (e.g., the nucleus is an organelle).

What is the basic unit of living things?

The cell.

What are tissues?

Groups of cells working together to perform a common function.

What is an organ?

A structure made of several tissues that work together to perform a function.

What is a body system?

A group of organs that work together to perform a larger function (e.g., the digestive system includes the stomach as an organ).

What is anatomical position?

Standing with feet shoulder-width apart, arms at the sides, palms facing forward, facing forward.

What do acromial and brachial refer to in regional anatomy?

Acromial = shoulder region; brachial = upper arm region.

Why is the anatomical position important for drawings and descriptions?

It standardizes orientation so terms like medial/lateral, anterior/posterior, etc., are consistent.

What is the difference between proximal and distal?

Proximal = closer to the trunk; distal = farther from the trunk; these terms are position-independent for limbs.

What are the three body sections used in anatomy?

Sagittal (including midsagittal), frontal (coronal), and transverse (cross) sections.

What is a midsagittal section?

A sagittal cut that divides the body into equal right and left halves.

What is a frontal (coronal) section?

A cut that divides the body into anterior (front) and posterior (back) parts.

What is a transverse (cross) section?

A cut that divides the body into superior (top) and inferior (bottom) parts.

What are the dorsal body cavities?

The cranial cavity (brain) and the spinal cavity (spinal cord). They are surrounded by bone and protected by meninges.

What are meninges?

Connective tissues that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord in the dorsal cavity.

What are the pleura and where are they found?

Two layers around the lungs: visceral pleura on the lung surface and parietal pleura lining the thoracic cavity.

What are the peritoneum and where are they found?

Membranes lining the abdominal cavity: visceral peritoneum on organs and parietal peritoneum lining the cavity wall.

What is peritonitis?

Inflammation of the peritoneum, often due to infection, which can be serious.

What is the ventral body cavity divided into?

Thoracic cavity (above the diaphragm) and the abdominal (abdominopelvic) cavity (below the diaphragm).

What is the mediastinum?

The area in the thoracic cavity between the lungs that contains the heart and esophagus.

What is homeostasis?

Maintaining the body's internal environment within normal limits (stable internal conditions).

Which systems regulate homeostasis?

The nervous system and the endocrine (hormonal) system.

How does sweating help maintain homeostasis?

Sweating (via the nervous system) helps dissipate heat to keep body temperature within normal range.

How does shivering help maintain homeostasis?

Skeletal muscle contractions generate heat to raise body temperature back toward normal.

What is negative feedback?

A mechanism that counteracts a deviation from the normal range to restore homeostasis (e.g., sweating when hot, shivering when cold).

How do insulin and glucagon regulate blood glucose?

Insulin lowers blood glucose by promoting uptake into cells; glucagon raises blood glucose by releasing stored glucose; both help maintain normal range.

What is positive feedback?

A process that amplifies a stimulus away from homeostasis; essential in labor and delivery and in blood clotting.

What is an example of a positive feedback process in pregnancy?

Oxytocin-induced uterine contractions that progressively widen the cervix during labor.