This definitions covers Key Definitions within Homeostasis Intro for GCSE Biology. Topic 1: Homeostasis Intro It is section 11 of 16 in this topic. Make sure you can use the exact wording confidently, because definition marks are often lost through vague language.
Topic position
Section 11 of 16
Practice
15 questions
Recall
20 flashcards
Key Definitions
Homeostasis: The regulation of the internal conditions of a cell or organism to maintain optimum conditions for function, in response to internal and external changes.
Receptor: A cell or organ that detects a change (stimulus) in the internal or external environment and sends a signal to the coordination centre.
Coordination centre: The part of the control system (e.g. brain, spinal cord, pancreas) that receives and processes information from receptors and sends instructions to effectors.
Effector: A muscle or gland that responds to instructions from the coordination centre, producing a response that corrects the change detected by the receptor.
Negative feedback: A control mechanism in which a change from the normal level triggers a response that opposes and reverses the original change, restoring conditions to normal.
Stimulus: A detectable change in the internal or external environment that triggers a response from the nervous or hormonal system.
Internal environment: The conditions inside the body that must be kept within a narrow range for cells to function properly, including temperature, blood glucose, water balance, and pH.
Optimum conditions: The set of conditions (temperature, pH, concentration) at which enzymes and cellular processes work at their maximum efficiency.