Crash Course Anatomy & Physiology – Introduction to the Human Body

These flashcards review the key concepts, terminology, and examples presented in the introductory lecture on anatomy and physiology, helping you master foundational ideas such as homeostasis, body organization, anatomical terminology, and historical context.

What two scientific disciplines are used to understand the human body’s structure and function?

Anatomy and Physiology

What does anatomy specifically study?

The structure and relationships between body parts.

What does physiology specifically study?

How body parts function and work together to keep the body alive.

What principle states that what a structure can do depends on its specific form?

The complementarity of structure and function.

List the six levels of structural organization in the body from smallest to largest.

Chemical (atoms/molecules), Cellular, Tissue, Organ, Organ System, Organism.

Define homeostasis.

The ability of living systems to maintain stable internal conditions despite external changes.

According to the lecture, what is everyone’s ultimate cause of death?

The extreme and irreversible loss of homeostasis.

Describe the classic anatomical position.

Body erect, facing forward, arms at the sides, palms facing forward.

Which anatomical plane divides the body into left and right parts?

Sagittal plane.

Which plane divides the body into front (anterior) and back (posterior) portions?

Coronal (frontal) plane.

Which plane divides the body into upper (superior) and lower (inferior) portions?

Transverse (horizontal) plane.

What term describes structures toward the front of the body?

Anterior or ventral.

What term describes structures toward the back of the body?

Posterior or dorsal.

What anatomical term refers to structures toward the head?

Superior or cranial.

What term refers to structures toward the feet or lower part of the body?

Inferior or caudal.

What term describes a structure closer to the midline of the body?

Medial.

What term describes a structure farther from the midline?

Lateral.

On a limb, which term refers to a part closer to the trunk?

Proximal.

On a limb, which term refers to a part farther from the trunk?

Distal.

Approximately how many atoms make up the human body?

About seven octillion atoms.

If stretched out, how tall would your intestines be?

About as tall as a three-story building.

By old age, how much saliva does an average person produce?

Enough to fill more than one swimming pool.

Roughly how many kilograms of dead skin cells does a person shed in a lifetime?

More than 50 kilograms.

Which small blood cell measures about 5 µm across?

The red blood cell.

How long can a single motor neuron running down the leg be?

About one meter (from big toe to spine).

What 1832 law supplied anatomy students with legal cadavers?

The British Anatomy Act of 1832.

Name two artists who attended public dissections in the 17th–18th centuries.

Michelangelo and Rembrandt.

Give an example of complementarity in the heart.

Blood flows in one direction because heart valves prevent backflow.

Why can an untreated arterial wound cause death?

Loss of blood pressure stops oxygen delivery, disrupting homeostasis.

Which body parts are considered axial?

Head, neck, and trunk.

Which body parts are considered appendicular?

Arms and legs (appendages).