Human Body Systems, Reproduction, and Biological Scales Vocabulary

A detailed vocabulary review covering human anatomy, biological processes, reproduction, system interconnections, and microscopic scale measurements based on the provided notes.

Epiglottis

A structure in the respiratory system that closes when swallowing to prevent food from entering the lungs.

Breathing

The process of intake of oxygen into the lungs and the release of carbon dioxide through the mouth canal.

Gaseous Exchange

The process where oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged twice through the lungs and the body.

Respiration

The cycle of carbon dioxide and oxygen movement through the lungs and the body or heart.

Alveolus

A microscopic structure in the lung where the exchange of $O_2$ and $CO_2$ takes place.

Electron Microscope

A high-magnification instrument used to observe objects from $0.1\text{ nm}$ to $100\text{ nm}$, including atoms, proteins, lipids, and flu viruses.

Light Microscope

An optical instrument used to view structures ranging from $1\text{ }\frac{1}{\text{m}}$ to $100\text{ }\frac{1}{\text{m}}$, such as mitochondria, bacteria, animal cells, and plant cells.

Naked Eye Visual Scale

The standard human visual range capable of viewing objects from $100\text{ }\frac{1}{\text{m}}$ or $1\text{ mm}$ up to $1\text{ m}$, including frog eggs, chicken eggs, ostrich eggs, and adult humans.

Vegetative Reproduction

A form of asexual reproduction occurring in plants where a new plant grows from a fragment or specific structure of the parent plant.

Gametes

Sex cells involved in reproduction.

Ovulation

The release of an egg from the ovary, triggered by a peak in hormone levels around day 14 of the cycle.

Fertilisation

The process of joining male and female gametes, occurring in the fallopian tubes in humans and in the ovule in flowering plants.

Progesterone

A hormone that increases after ovulation (peaking around day 21) to maintain a thick, mature uterine lining.

Digestion

The process of breaking down food into a usable form and making the nutrients available to the body.

Bolus

A slimy ball of chewed food that is swallowed down the oesophagus.

Peristalsis

The muscular contractions in the throat and intestines that help push and move food through the digestive tract.

Mechanical Digestion

The physical breakdown of food into smaller pieces using the mouth and teeth through chewing.

Chemical Digestion

The process of using chemical substances, such as acid in the stomach, to break down food molecules.

Villus

A small structure in the small intestine with adaptations to increase surface area and slow down food movement for optimal nutrient absorption.

Earthworm Gaseous Exchange

The process by which an earthworm takes in oxygen and releases carbon dioxide directly through the skin covering its body, as it lacks lungs.

Oxygen Pathway to Body Cells

The sequential path taken by oxygen to reach cells: Respiratory system \rightarrow Circulatory system \rightarrow Body cells.

Cell Waste Excretion Pathway

The sequential path taken by non-$CO_2$ cell wastes to leave the human body: Body cells \rightarrow Circulatory system \rightarrow Urinary system.