Homeostasis

After learning first about cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems, learning about the functions of organ systems is the next logical step. Namely, we learned about homeostasis in this project. Homeostasis is the bodily process of maintaining a stable internal environment, and is essential to life.

We chose to study how the body maintains water levels. To study this, we would each drink half a liter of water immediately after urinating, measure the time to urinate again, then drink a full liter of water, and measure the time to urinate again. We found that the time difference is about 10 minutes.

Content

• Homeostasis

  • Maintaining a stable internal environment inside the body using positive and negative feedback loops

    • Negative feedback loop

      • When a stimulus stimulates the body to do something that reduces the stimulus

        • Examples: shivering when it is cold, sweating when it is hot, urinating when there is too much water in the body, pupil shrinking in a bright environment

      • Our group studied the negative feedback loop involved in reducing the amount of water in the body to normal levels by feeling the need to urinate sooner

    • Positive feedback loop

      • When a stimulus causes a chain reaction of the organism to doing something to create more stimulus and so on

        • Examples: when pressure on the cervix results in more and more contractions during childbirth, fruit ripening and releasing a hormone signaling other fruit to ripen, platelets releasing chemicals signaling for the body to send more platelets during blood clotting

Reflection

One of the less pleasant topics I've studied, this project was a success all the same. To organize who would be participating in data collection, Collaboration was a must, and I'd say I didn't disappoint. Also, we had to use Critical Thinking to design a test that would effectively demonstrate homeostasis at work maintaining proper water levels.

However, the nature of this project did not leave room to demonstrate Cultural Competence, as it had no relation to culture whatsoever. Also, we were trying to prove something in practice, something we already knew in theory, and so we didn't really have to use any Conscientious Learner skills.