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Quiz yourself on Homeostasis IntroGet your flashcardsBuild my revision planTrack my progress💡 Exam Tips for Homeostasis Introduction
🎯 Common Question Types
- "Define homeostasis" — 1 mark, needs exact AQA wording
- "Name the three components of a control system" — 3 marks
- "What is meant by negative feedback?" — 2 marks
- "Explain why stable conditions are important for enzyme function" — 2–3 marks
- Extended response: "Explain how negative feedback maintains a stable internal environment" — 6 marks
- Compare nervous and endocrine systems — 4 marks (common in Paper 2)
📝 Key Command Words
- Define — write the exact textbook definition; paraphrasing loses marks
- Describe — state each step in the correct sequence
- Explain — state what happens AND why, using "because" and "therefore"
- Compare — give both sides; never describe one system and ignore the other
- Suggest — use your knowledge to make a logical prediction about an unfamiliar context
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Writing "the body keeps conditions constant" — always say "within a narrow range"
- Forgetting to name all three components — receptor, coordination centre, AND effector are all required for full marks
- Saying "negative feedback is bad" — explain it means the response is in the opposite direction
- Saying "the brain controls everything" — name the specific coordination centre (hypothalamus, pancreas, kidneys) for each system
- Describing negative feedback without stating it opposes the change — the word "opposes" or "reverses" is usually a required mark point
Quick Check: A student gives this answer: "Negative feedback is when the body responds to a change." Identify what is missing and write an improved answer for 2 marks.
The student's answer is incomplete — it does not explain the direction or purpose of the response. An improved answer: "Negative feedback is a control mechanism in which a change from the normal level (stimulus) triggers a response that opposes and reverses the original change, restoring conditions back to the normal range." The key missing elements are (1) that the response opposes the change and (2) that the aim is to restore normal conditions.
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