Understanding Biological Equilibrium - High School Biology

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Question

Which of the following is true when the body is under homeostasis?

Answer

Homeostasis means "staying still" in Greek, and is a property of the human body that describes when functions and processes allow the conditions of the body to remain stable. This does not mean that the body ceases any function. It simply means that the current functions of the body are able to keep the body at a stable condition.

For example, blood glucose in the body is under homeostatic regulation by the hormones insulin and glucagon. Both hormones are always in circulation, meaning that glucose is both being released into the blood and begin taken from the blood for storage. The result is a stable amount of glucose because both processes occur together. When a meal causes blood glucose to rise, insulin levels increase and glucagon levels decrease to accommodate the change, but both hormones are still present. This creates a dynamic equilibrium in which glucose is both retained and released, allowing a stable amount to be in circulation.

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Question

Which of following correctly describes how a catalyst affects a chemical reaction?

Answer

A catalyst is a substance that increases the rate of a reaction by lowering the activation energy needed for the given chemical reaction to occur. Activation energy is the input of energy required for a reaction to occur. This energy is used to break the bonds of the reactant, allowing the reaction to proceed. If a catalyst lowers the amount of energy needed for a reaction to occur, the reaction can occur at a faster rate because it reaches that lower energy level more quickly than it would have the original higher energy level.

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Question

Which is not an example of homeostasis?

Answer

The situation describing ATP production is the only one in which there is no problem in need of correction. Homeostasis requires maintenance of a balance. While ATP production is an essential process, the simple function of the ATP synthase proton pump is not directly related to biological stability in homeostasis.

All other answers describe situations in which the body corrects a problem or situation and restores balance to internal mechanisms. This is the nature of homeostasis—there is a disruption to the balance, and the body adjusts in order to keep the processes running smoothly.

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