H&P Unit 1 Vocab

Abdominopelvic Cavity

Continuous internal opening that includes the abdominal and pelvic cavities

Anatomical Position

Erect standing position with arms at the sides and palms facing forward

Physiology

The study of how living things function or work

Anterior (ventral) body cavity

Continuous internal opening that includes the thoracic and abdominopelvic cavities

Anatomy

The study of the form or structure of living things including plants, animals, and humans

Posterior (dorsal) body cavity

Continuous internal opening located near the back of the body that includes the cranial and spinal cavities

Sagittal plane

An invisible, flat vertical surface that divides the body into right and left halves

Thoracic cavity

The internal opening that houses the heart and lungs

Transverse plane

An invisible, horizontal flat surface that divides the body into top and bottom halves

Homeostasis

A state of regulated physiological balance

homeostatic imbalance

A state in which there is a diminished ability for the organ systems to keep the body’s internal environment within normal ranges

Metabolism

All chemical reactions that occur within an organism to maintain life

Negative feedback

Mechanism that reverses a condition that has exceeded the normal homeostatic range to restore homeostasis

Positive feedback

Further increases a condition that has exceeded the normal homeostatic range