Chapter 1

Homeostasis: The Foundation of Physiology

TEST QUESTIONS

Multiple Choice (c) its concentration of oxygen and carbon

dioxide.
1. Select the incorrect association. (d) its pH.
(a) anatomy/body structure. (e) its temperature.
(b) human body/multicellular.
(c) oxygen/cell waste product. ANSWER: b
(d) physiology/body function.
(e) unicellular/one-celled. 6. The outer layer of the skin consists of ________
tissue.
ANSWER: c (a) connective.
(b) endocrine.
2. Which of the following is a mechanistic rather (c) epithelial.
than a teleological explanation of a physiological (d) muscle.
phenomenon? (e) nervous.
(a) As a person breathes to obtain oxygen.
(b) As a person sweats to cool off. ANSWER: c
(c) As a person’s stomach secretes digestive juices
because it is stimulated by the nervous system. 7. The respiratory system:
(d) As a person’s heart beats to pump blood. (a) obtains oxygen from and eliminates carbon
(e) As a person’s kidneys produce urine to dioxide to the internal environment.
eliminate wastes from the body. (b) consists of the heart, blood vessels and lungs.
(c) plays an important role in maintaining the
ANSWER: c proper pH of the internal environment by
adjusting the rate of removal of acid-forming
3. When a blood capillary is cut, a clot forms under carbon dioxide.
which influence? (d) both (a) and (c) above.
(a) negative feedback. (e) all of these answers.
(b) positive feedback.
(c) extrinsic control. ANSWER: c
(d) both (a) and (b) above.
(e) none of these answers. 8. Select the incorrect statement about connective
tissue.
ANSWER: b (a) Bone is one example.
(b) Blood is one example.
4. The term smooth refers to a type of ________ (c) Elastin can be found in the extracellular
tissue. material.
(a) connective. (d) It has numerous cells distributed through an
(b) epithelial. extracellular material.
(c) glandular. (e) It is a primary tissue type.
(d) muscle.
(e) nervous. ANSWER: d

ANSWER: d 9. Which of the following body systems is not

directed entirely toward maintaining homeostasis?
5. Which of the following factors of the internal (a) reproductive system.
environment is not homeostatically maintained? (b) muscular system.
(a) its concentration of nutrient molecules. (c) nervous system
(b) its concentration of nitrogen gas, of which 80
percent of the atmospheric air is composed.

Homeostasis: The Foundation of Physiology 119

 (d) both reproductive system and muscular
system.
(e) all of these answers.
ANSWER: e
10. Which sequence represents the correct hierarchy
of biological organization?
(a) cell-organ-tissue-system-organism.
(b) cell-tissue-organ-system-organism.
(c) tissue-cell-system-organism-organ.
(d) organ-tissue-cell-organism-system.
(e) system-cell-organ-organism-tissue.
ANSWER: b
11. The internal environment:
(a) is in direct contact with the body’s cells.
(b) consists of the extracellular fluid.
(c) must be maintained at absolutely unchanging
composition, temperature, and volume for survival
of the body.
(d) is in direct contact with the body’s cells and
consists of the extracellular fluid.
(e) all of these answers.
ANSWER: d
12. Extracellular fluid:
(a) is the internal environment of the body.
(b) is outside the cells but inside the body.
(c) consists of the plasma and interstitial fluid.
(d) Two of these answers.
(e) All of these answers.
ANSWER: e
13. Nutrients and oxygen are distributed through the
body mainly by the ________ system.
(a) circulatory.
(b) digestive.
(c) endocrine.
(d) integumentary.
(e) skeletal.
ANSWER: a
14. Which of the following statements concerning
negative feedback is incorrect?
(a) Negative feedback exists when a change in a
regulated variable triggers a response that opposes
the change.
(b) Negative feedback exists when the input to a
system increases the output and the output limits
its own production by inhibiting the input.
120 Chapter One
(c) With negative feedback, a control system’s
input and output continue to enhance each other.
(d) Most of the body’s homeostatic control
mechanisms operate on the principle of negative
feedback.
(e) It is the only mode of extrinsic control.
ANSWER: c
15. Which statement(s) regarding endocrine glands
is/are true?
(a) lack ducts.
(b) secrete hormones internally into the blood.
(c) are derived from epithelial tissue.
(d) include the parathyroids.
(e) all of these answers.
ANSWER: e
16. Which of the following is (are) a type of
connective tissue?
(a) exocrine glands.
(b) bone.
(c) blood.
(d) both bone and blood.
(e) none of these answers.
ANSWER: d
17. The hormone insulin enhances the transport of
glucose (sugar) from the blood into most of the
body’s cells. Its secretion is controlled by a
negative-feedback system between the
concentration of glucose in the blood and the
insulin-secreting cells. Therefore, which of the
following statements is correct?
(a) As a decrease in blood glucose concentration
stimulates insulin secretion, which in turn further
lowers the blood glucose concentration.
(b) As an increase in blood glucose concentration
stimulates insulin secretion, which in turn lowers
the blood glucose concentration.
(c) As a decrease in blood glucose concentration
stimulates insulin secretion, which in turn
increases the blood glucose concentration.
(d) As an increase in blood glucose concentration
stimulates insulin secretion, which further
increases the blood glucose concentration.
(e) None of these answers.
ANSWER: b
18. Sweating is initiated in response to a rise in body True/False
temperature that occurs on exposure to a hot
environment. Evaporation of the sweat cools the 23. Cells eliminate carbon dioxide as a waste product.
body. This is an example of:
(a) negative feedback. ANSWER: True
(b) positive feedback.
(c) a feedforward mechanism. 24. All cells are capable of reproducing.
(d) an intrinsic (local) control mechanism.
(e) autoregulation. ANSWER: False

ANSWER: a 25 Highly differentiated tissues such as nervous and

cardiac muscle are incapable of new cell
19. The two systems concerned with the control of production.
body functioning are:
(a) nervous and respiratory. ANSWER: False
(b) nervous and endocrine.
(c) endocrine and respiratory. 26. Enzymes are carbohydrates.
(d) endocrine and lymphatic.
(e) circulatory and endocrine. ANSWER: False

ANSWER: b 27. A mechanistic explanation of why a person

breathes is to obtain oxygen.
20. Calcium is stored mainly in the ________ system.
(a) digestive. ANSWER: False
(b) endocrine.
(c) integumentary. 28. A mechanistic explanation of why a person sweats
(d) muscular. is to cool off.
(e) skeletal.
ANSWER: False
ANSWER: b
29. Tissues are composed of two or more types of
21. A major public health concern regarding cells organized to perform a particular function or
xenotransplantation is: functions.
(a) that immunosuppressive drugs may kill the
patient. ANSWER: False
(b) the use of animals for nonfood consumption.
(c) the potential spread of animal pathogens into 30. Muscle cells produce movement by expanding.
the human population.
(d) the cost of caring for the patient. ANSWER: False
(e) none of these answers.
31. Blood is a type of connective tissue.
ANSWER: c
ANSWER: True
22. Which statement(s) regarding stem cells is/are
correct? 32. Glands are formed during embryonic development
(a) They are undifferentiated embryonic cells. by pockets of epithelial tissue that dip inward
(b) They may reproduce many times. from the surface.
(c) Their daughter cells may differentiate into a
number of different specialized cell types. ANSWER: True
(d) All of these answers.
(e) None of these answers. 33. Endocrine glands secrete hormones through ducts
into the blood.
ANSWER: d
ANSWER: False

Homeostasis: The Foundation of Physiology 121

34. A lumen is a cavity within a hollow organ or tube.
ANSWER: True
35. Organs are composed of two or more kinds of
primary tissues.
44. Secretion refers to the release from a cell, in
response to appropriate stimulation, of specific
products that have in large part been synthesized
by the cell.
ANSWER: True

ANSWER: True 45. The endocrine system functions with the

circulatory system for the transport of hormones.
36. The external environment is found outside cells
but inside the body. ANSWER: True

ANSWER: False 46. Some organs, such as the heart, skin, and intestine,
belong to more than one body system.
37. Factors that are homeostatically regulated are
maintained at a constant, fixed level unless disease ANSWER: True
is present.
47. The respiratory system eliminates carbon dioxide
ANSWER: False from the body.

38. The lungs remove carbon dioxide from the blood ANSWER: False
plasma.
48. The skin is part of the integumentary system.
ANSWER: True
ANSWER: True
39. To sustain life, the internal environment must be
maintained in an absolutely unchanging state. 49. Negative feedback operates to maintain a
controlled factor in a relatively steady state,
ANSWER: False whereas positive feedback moves a controlled
variable even further from a steady state.
40. Not all activities performed by the muscular and
nervous systems are directed toward maintaining ANSWER: True
homeostasis.
50. With positive feedback, a control system’s input
ANSWER: True and output continue to enhance each other.

41. The plasma surrounds and bathes all of the body’s ANSWER: True
cells.
51. Feedforward mechanisms bring about a response
ANSWER: False in reaction to a change in a regulated variable.

42. The concentration of salt in the extracellular fluid ANSWER: False

influences how water enters and leaves cells.
52. Most homeostatic mechanisms operate on the
ANSWER: True principle of positive feedback.

43. Exocrine glands are the only structures in the body ANSWER: False
capable of secretion.

ANSWER: False

122 Chapter One

Fill-in-the-Blank
53. The smallest unit capable of carrying out the
processes associated with life is the ________.
ANSWER: cell
54. ________ cells are specialized to send electrical
signals.
ANSWER: nerve
55. _________ muscle tissue composes the heart.
ANSWER: cardiac
56. __________ are composed of two or more types
of primary tissue organized to perform a particular
function or functions.
ANSWER: organs
57. _______ glands secrete through ducts in the skin.
ANSWER: exocrine
58. A __________ is a collection of organs that
perform related functions and interact to
accomplish a common activity that is essential for
survival of the whole body.
ANSWER: body system
59. The internal environment consists of the
__________, which is made up of _________, the
fluid portion of the blood, and _________, which
surrounds and bathes all cells.
ANSWER: extracellular fluid, plasma, interstitial fluid
60. The ________ is the liquid part of the blood.
ANSWER: plasma
61. The body cells are in direct contact with and make
life-sustaining exchanges with the
________________.
ANSWER: internal environment (extracellular fluid)
62. __________ refers to maintenance of a relatively
stable internal environment.
ANSWER: homeostasis
63. __________ tissue is composed of cells
specialized for contraction and force generation.
ANSWER: muscle
64. The __________ system consists of all hormone-
secreting tissues.
ANSWER: endocrine
65. The two major control systems of the body are the
__________ and the __________.
ANSWER: nervous system, endocrine system
66. ________ are the blood vessels where materials
are mixed between the blood plasma and the
interstitial fluid.
ANSWER: capillaries
67. The ________ system is the transport system of
the body.
ANSWER: circulatory
68. The ______ system eliminates waste products
other than carbon dioxide and plays a key role in
regulating the volume, electrolyte composition,
and acidity of the extracellular fluid.
ANSWER: urinary
69. The _______ system controls and coordinates
bodily activities that require swift responses,
especially to changes in the external environment.
ANSWER: nervous
70. ______________ refers to the abnormal
functioning of the body associated with disease.
ANSWER: pathophysiology
71. Homeostasis is maintained by __________
mechanisms.
ANSWER: negative feedback
Homeostasis: The Foundation of Physiology 123
Matching 74. Indicate whether the following physiological event
represents
72. Use the following answer code to indicate which (a) intrinsic control
tissue is being identified. (b) negative feedback control
(a) = nervous tissue (c) positive feedback control
(b) = epithelial tissue (d) feedforward control
(c) = muscle tissue
(d) = connective tissue _____ increased blood flow into muscle tissue in
response to a localized increase in carbon
_____ This tissue type is composed of cells dioxide
specialized for contraction. _____ the release of a hormone to lower blood
_____ This tissue type is made up of cells calcium levels when it gets too high
specialized in the exchange of materials _____ increased cardiac activity to elevate blood
between the cell and its environment. pressure when systemic pressure is low
_____ This tissue type is connects, supports, and _____ rapid clotting of blood due to increasing
anchors various body parts. levels of platelet activity at a site of vessel
_____ The heart is made of this type of tissue. damage
_____ Bone is this tissue type.
_____ Glands are a derivative of this tissue type. ANSWERS: a, b, b, c
_____ The digestive tract is lined with this tissue.
_____ The brain is primarily made of this tissue.
_____ The blood is this tissue type.
_____ This tissue is distinguished by relatively few
cells within an extracellular material.
_____ Skeletal, cardiac, and smooth are types of this
tissue.

ANSWERS: c, b, d, c, d, b, b, a, d, d,

73. Temperature-sensitive nerve cells monitor the

body temperature and provide information about
its status to a temperature-control center in the
hypothalamus, a part of the brain. The
hypothalamus can bring about adjustments in
body temperature by inducing shivering or
sweating, among other things.

Indicate the roles served by each component of

this control system using the following answer
code:
(a) = controlled variable
(b) = integrator
(c) = sensor
(d) = effector

_____ body temperature

_____ temperature-sensitive nerve cells
_____ skeletal muscles and sweat glands
_____ hypothalamus

ANSWERS: a, c, d, b

124 Chapter One