The Skin and Homeostasis

Saraswati Vidya Niketan

Human and Social Biology

Name: Form:

Instruction: Answer all questions. (25 marks) Time: 30 minutes.

Question 1

The kidney plays a major role in keeping the water level in the body constant by the process of homeostasis.

(a) Define the term homeostasis. (1 mark)

_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________

(b) Name the hormone that is responsible for maintaining water balance in the body. (1 mark)
_______________________________________________________________________________________

(c) Identify the target organ for the hormone named in (b) above. (1 mark)
_______________________________________________________________________________________

(d) Under what circumstances would the hormone named in (b) above be secreted in a large quantity?
(2 marks)
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________

Question 2

(a) What is the difference between heat and temperature? (2 marks)

_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________

(b) What is the normal body temperature of a human? (1 mark)

_______________________________________________________________________________________
The Skin and Homeostasis
(c) Why should a normal body temperature be maintained? (1 mark)
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________

(d) Describe briefly TWO ways how the skin would try to cool down the body during a hot day. (3 marks)
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________

(e) Besides regulating body temperature, what are two other functions of the skin? (2 marks)
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________

(f) Label any five parts of the diagram below: (5 marks)

Diagram of the skin

The Skin and Homeostasis
Question 3

(a) What is meant by the term negative feedback mechanism? (1 mark)

______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________

(b) With the use of a diagram, explain how negative feedback mechanisms are involved in maintaining any ONE of the
following conditions: (5 marks)
i. Blood glucose concentration
ii. Carbon dioxide concentration

Bonus: What is the name of the disease that results due to a lack of insulin secretion? (1 mark)

__________________________________________________________________________________________________