GATE TEST BODY SYSTEMS 15 marks Name: Answers

1 a Use the example of someone touching a

hot iron to explain the process of a reflex
action. (draw a labelled diagram if
necessary) (4m)
b Outline how reflex actions are beneficial
to the wellbeing of individuals. (2m)

a



b Removing the body from the danger as
quickly as possible. This rapid response
occurs without sending a message to the
brain. If the message were sent to the brain
first, the reaction would take longer. The
longer the response time, the more damage
that could be caused by the hot iron.
The message is sent to the brain after the
reflex action has been completed and then
registers as pain.
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2 The table below shows the concentration in
g/100 mL of substances in the blood entering
the kidney, and the urine produced.

a Explain why glucose is not found in the
urine.
b Explain why the concentration of urea is
higher in the urine than in the blood.
c Explain what effect there would be on
the concentration of salts in the urine if a
person had drunk a large quantity of
fresh water.
a Glucose is totally reabsorbed back into the
blood as it is needed for cellular
respiration.

b Water is taken back into the bloodstream,
but most of the urea remains in the filtrate
that goes on to form the urine.

c A large quantity of water would decrease
the concentration of salts in the urine. The
blood would have become diluted. The
nephrons would have responded by
reabsorbing less water and more salt to re-
establish the balance.
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3 a Explain the difference between a hormonal
response and a nervous response in
maintaining homeostasis. (3)









Explain why endocrine systems are called
negative feedback systems. List an example.
(2)
- Hormonal responses involve: Endocrine
glands (0.5) which release hormones (0.5)
to a target cell to bring about homeostasis
(0.5)

- Nervous responses involve:
Receptors in the sensory organs (0.5)
detecting a change and sending nerve
messages to the central nervous system
(0.5) that then send a nerve message to
effectors (0.5).


Feedback system in the endocrine system are
negative because their response is
opposite of their stimulus (1). For
example; if there is too much glucose in
the blood (stimulus), an increase from
homeostatic levels, the body will try to
decrease the amount of homeostatic levels.
(1)



















































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