Cambridge Biology – iGCSE

2017-19
Year 09-11

Unit 14 – Homeostasis
1 – Assessment Structure 14.3 – Blood Glucose
14.1 – Maintaining the Internal Environment 14.2 – Body Temperature Control
Concentration Control

All candidates must enter for three papers.

Core candidates take: Extended candidates take:
Paper 1 45 minutes Paper 2 45 minutes
Multiple Choice 30% Multiple Choice 30%
40 marks 40 marks
40 four-choice multiple-choice questions 40 four-choice multiple-choice questions
Questions will be based on the Core subject Questions will be based on the Extended
content subject content (Core and Supplement)
Assessing grades C–G Assessing grades A*–G
Externally assessed Externally assessed

and Core candidates take: and Extended candidates take:

Paper 3 1 hour 15 minutes Paper 4 1 hour 15 minutes
Theory 50% Theory 50%
80 marks 80 marks
Short-answer and structured questions Short-answer and structured questions
Questions will be based on the Core subject Questions will be based on the Extended
content subject content (Core and Supplement)
Assessing grades C–G Assessing grades A*–G
Externally assessed Externally assessed
1 – Assessment Structure 14.3 – Blood Glucose
14.1 – Maintaining the Internal Environment 14.2 – Body Temperature Control
Concentration Control

All candidates take.

Either: Or:
Paper 5 1 hour 15 minutes Paper 6 1 hour
Practical Test 20% Alternative to Practical 20%
40 marks 40 marks
Questions will be based on the Questions will be based on the
experimental experimental
skills in Section 4 skills in Section 4
Assessing grades A*–G Assessing grades A*–G
Externally assessed Externally assessed
3 – Assessment Objectives 14.3 – Blood Glucose
14.1 – Maintaining the Internal Environment 14.2 – Body Temperature Control
Concentration Control

AO1 Knowledge with understanding

Candidates should be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding
of:
• scientific phenomena, facts, laws, definitions, concepts and theories
• scientific vocabulary, terminology and conventions (including symbols,
quantities and units)
• scientific instruments and apparatus, including techniques of operation
and aspects of safety
• scientific and technological applications with their social, economic and
environmental implications.
Subject content defines the factual material that candidates may be
required to recall and explain. Candidates will also be asked questions that
require them to apply this material to unfamiliar contexts and to apply
knowledge from one area of the syllabus to another.
Questions testing this objective will often begin with one of the following
words: define, state, describe, explain (using your knowledge and
understanding) or outline (see the Glossary of terms used in science
papers).
3 – Assessment Objectives 14.3 – Blood Glucose
14.1 – Maintaining the Internal Environment 14.2 – Body Temperature Control
Concentration Control

AO2 Handling information and problem solving

Candidates should be able, in words or using other written forms of
presentation (i.e. symbolic, graphical and numerical), to:
• locate, select, organise and present information from a variety of
sources
• translate information from one form to another
• manipulate numerical and other data
• use information to identify patterns, report trends and draw inferences
• present reasoned explanations for phenomena, patterns and
relationships
• make predictions and hypotheses
• solve problems, including some of a quantitative nature.
Questions testing these skills may be based on information that is
unfamiliar to candidates, requiring them to apply the principles and
concepts from the syllabus to a new situation, in a logical, deductive way.
Questions testing these skills will often begin with one of the following
words: predict, suggest, calculate or determine (see the Glossary of terms
used in science papers).
3 – Assessment Objectives 14.3 – Blood Glucose
14.1 – Maintaining the Internal Environment 14.2 – Body Temperature Control
Concentration Control

AO3 Experimental skills and investigations

Candidates should be able to:
• demonstrate knowledge of how to safely use
techniques, apparatus and materials (including
following a sequence of instructions where
appropriate)
• plan experiments and investigations
• make and record observations, measurements and
estimates
• interpret and evaluate experimental observations
and data
• evaluate methods and suggest possible
improvements.
3 - Assessment Objectives
14.3 – Blood Glucose
14.1 – Maintaining the Internal Environment 14.2 – Body Temperature Control
Concentration Control

Relationship between assessment objectives and

components
 The approximate weightings allocated to each of the
assessment objectives are summarised in the table below.

Assessment objective Paper Paper Paper

1 and 2 3 and 4 5 and 6

AO1: Knowledge with 63% 63% 0%

understanding
AO2: Handling information 37% 37% 0%
and problem solving

AO3: Experimental skills and 0% 0% 100%

investigations
14 - Homeostasis
14.3 – Blood Glucose
14.1 – Maintaining the Internal Environment 14.2 – Body Temperature Control
Concentration Control

14.4 – Homeostasis
Core
 Define homeostasis as the maintenance of a constant internal environment
 Name and identify on a diagram of the skin: hairs, hair erector muscles,
sweat glands, receptors, sensory neurones, blood vessels and fatty tissue
 Describe the maintenance of a constant internal body temperature in
humans in terms of insulation, sweating, shivering and the role of the brain
(limited to blood temperature receptors and coordination)
Supplement
 Explain that homeostasis is the control of internal conditions within set limits
 Explain the concept of control by negative feedback
 Describe the control of the glucose concentration of the blood by the liver
and the roles of insulin and glucagon from the pancreas
 Outline the symptoms and treatment of Type 1 diabetes (detail of β cells is
not required)
 Describe the maintenance of a constant internal body temperature in
humans in terms of vasodilation and vasoconstriction of arterioles supplying
skin surface capillaries
14 - Homeostasis
14.3 – Blood Glucose
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Concentration Control

In this chapter you will find out about:

 maintaining the internal environment of

the human body
 how we keep our body temperature
constant 5
 the role of negative feedback in
homeostasis
 how the pancreas and liver help to keep
blood glucose concentration steady
14 - Homeostasis
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Concentration Control

Marine Iguanas
 Marine iguanas are reptiles - a type of lizard
(Figure 14.1). They are found only in the remote
Galapagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean.
 These iguanas are almost the only reptiles that
spend part of their time in the sea. They feed on
seaweed, which most of them find on the rocks
when the tide is out. But larger individuals need to Figure 14.1 - A large
marine iguana basks on
find more food, and they dive into the sea in the rocks to raise its body
search of seaweed. They are able to go down to temperature, after a long
25 m. The sea in this region is extremely cold, but dive into the cold ocean.
the rocks on the shore get very hot during the day,
when sunlight shines onto them.
 Reptiles, unlike mammals, are not able to regulate
their body temperature internally, and these lizards
are no exception. When it enters the sea, an
iguana’s body temperature begins to fall, as heat is
transferred from its body into the cold sea water.
14 - Homeostasis
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Concentration Control

Marine Iguanas
 As its temperature drops, the metabolic reactions in
the iguana’s body slow down. This affects its activity -
its movements get slower and slower as it gets
colder, until eventually it is forced to leave the water
and bask on the rocks to warm up again. This
explains why these large individuals do most of their
feeding round about midday, when the sun is at its Figure 14.1 - A large
hottest. marine iguana basks on
 At other times, they might not be able to get their the rocks to raise its body
body temperature back up again, and would stay cold temperature, after a long
and slow-moving for a long time after they have been dive into the cold ocean.
in the sea.
 Smaller marine iguanas do not feed like this. These
smaller individuals feed only on the shore. Their small
bodies have a larger surface area to volume ratio, so
they lose heat faster. Submerged in cold sea water,
they would cool down so fast that they would not
have time to feed before they had to emerge and
warm up again.
14.1 – Maintaining the Internal Environment
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Concentration Control

14.1 Maintaining the internal environment

 The environment (surroundings) of a living
organism is always changing. Think about your
own environment. The temperature of the air
around you changes.
 For example, if you live in a temperate country,
it might be -10°C outside on a cold day in
winter, and 23°C indoors. If you live in the
tropics, the outside temperature may be well
over 40 °C. Q
 The cells inside your body, however, do not
have a changing environment. Your body keeps
the environment inside you almost the same,
all the time. In the tissue fluid surrounding your
cells, the temperature and amount of water are
kept almost constant. So is the concentration of
glucose. Keeping this internal environment
constant is called homeostasis.
14.1 – Maintaining the Internal Environment
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Concentration Control

14.1 Maintaining the internal environment

 Homeostasis is very important. It helps your
cells to work as efficiently as possible.
Keeping a constant temperature of around
37°C helps enzymes to work at me optimum
rate.
 Keeping a constant amount of water means
that your cells are not damaged by
absorbing or losing too much water by
osmosis. Q
 Keeping a constant concentration of glucose
means that there is always enough fuel for
respiration.
 In this chapter, you will see how
homeostasis is carried out in humans. The
nervous system and various endocrine
glands are involved, as well as the skin,
pancreas and liver.
14.2 – Control of Body Temperature
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Concentration Control

Outside temperature 0°C

Mammals and birds are
endothermic
 Some animals - including ourselves
- are very good at controlling their
body temperature. They can keep
their temperature almost constant,
even though the temperature of At 0 C, an ectothermic animal’s
0
Q
metabolic rate slows down, because its
their environment changes. body temperature is also 0°C.The
 Animals that can do this are called animal is inactive.
endothermic animals. This term Outside temperature 200C
means that they get their heat
energy from within themselves
(‘endo’ means within). Mammals
and birds are endothermic (Figure
14.2). Animals that don’t do this are At 20°C,an ectothermic animal’s body
temperature is 20 °C. Its metabolic rate
called ectothermic. speeds up, and it becomes active.
14.2 – Control of Body Temperature
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Concentration Control

 Being endothermic has great advantages. If the internal body temperature can
be kept at around 37 °C, then enzymes can always work very efficiently, no
matter what the outside temperature is. Metabolism can keep going, even when
it is cold outside. In cold weather, or at night, an endothermic animal can be


active when a ectothermic animal is too cold to move.
But there is a price to pay. The energy to keep warm has to come from Q
somewhere. Endothermic animals get their heat energy from food, by
respiration. Because of this, endothermic animals have to eat far more food than
ectothermic ones. Figure 14.2 - Ectothermic and endothermic animals.
Outside temperature 00C Outside temperature 200C

At 00C.an endothermic animal remains active. Its At 20°C,an endothermic animal is no more
cells produce heat by breaking down food active than at 0°C, because its body
through respiration. Its body temperature stays temperature does not change. It may even
high enough to keep its metabolism going. be less active, to avoid overheating.
14.2 – Control of Body Temperature
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Concentration Control

Q
The skin
 One of the most important organs involved in temperature regulation in
mammals is the skin. Figure 14.3 shows a section through human skin.
 Human skin is made up of two layers. The top layer is called the epidermis,
and the lower layer is the dermis.
 All the cells in the epidermis have been made in the layer of cells at the base
of it. These cells are always dividing by a type of cell division called mitosis
(page 232). The new cells that are made gradually move towards the surface
of the skin. As they go, they die, and fill up with a protein called keratin. The
top layer of the skin is made up of these dead cells. It is called the cornified
layer.
 The cornified layer protects the softer, living cells underneath, because it is
hard and waterproof. It is always being worn away, and replaced by cells from
beneath. On the parts of the body which get most wear - for example, the soles
of the feet - it grows thicker.
 Some of the cells in the epidermis contain a dark brown pigment, called
melanin. Melanin absorbs the harmful ultraviolet rays in sunlight, which would
damage the living cells in the deeper layers of the skin.
 Here and there, the epidermis is folded inwards, forming a hair follicle. A hair
grows from each one. Hairs are made of keratin.
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Concentration Control

Key Definition
homeostasis - the maintenance of a Figure 14.3 - A section
constant internal environment through human skin.
14.2 – Control of Body Temperature
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Concentration Control

The Dermis
 Most of the dermis is made of connective tissue. This tissue contains
elastic fibres and collagen fibres. As a person gets older, the fibres lose
their elasticity, so the skin becomes loose and wrinkled.
 The dermis also contains sweat glands. These secrete a liquid called Q
sweat. Sweat is mostly water, with small amounts of salts and urea
dissolved in it. It travels up the sweat ducts, and out onto the surface of
the skin through the sweat pores. As we will see, sweat helps in
temperature regulation.

The Skin
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Concentration Control

The Dermis
 The dermis contains blood vessels and nerve endings. These Q
nerve endings are sensitive to touch, pain, pressure and
temperature, so they help to keep you aware of changes in your
environment.
 Underneath the dermis is a layer of fat, called adipose tissue. This
fatty tissue is made up of cells which contain large drops of oil.
This layer helps to insulate your body against heat loss, and also
acts as an energy reserve.

The Skin
14.2 – Control of Body Temperature
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Concentration Control

The hypothalamus
 A part of the brain called the hypothalamus is at the centre of the
control mechanism that keeps internal temperature constant. The
hypothalamus coordinates the activities of the parts of the body
that can bring about temperature changes.
 The hypothalamus acts like a
thermostat. It contains
Q
temperature receptors that
sense the temperature of the
blood running through it. If this
is above or below 37 °C, then the
hypothalamus sends electrical
impulses, along nerves, to the
parts of the body which have the
function of regulating your body
temperature.
14.2 – Control of Body Temperature - Hypothalamus
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Concentration Control

When temperature falls

 If your body temperature drops below 37 °C, nerve impulses from the
hypothalamus cause the following things to happen (Figure 14.4).
When the body is too cold When the body is too hot Q
Temperature
Regulation

Homeostasis

Figure 14.4 - How skin helps with

temperature regulation.
14.2 – Control of Body Temperature - Hypothalamus
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Concentration Control

Muscles work
 Muscles in some parts of the body contract and
relax very quickly. This produces heat. It is called
shivering. The heat generated in the muscles
warms the blood as it flows through them. The
blood distributes this heat all over the body.
Metabolism may increase
 The speed of chemical reactions such as
respiration may increase. This also releases
more heat. Q
Hair stands up
 The erector muscles in the skin contract, pulling
the hairs up on end. In humans, this does not do
anything very useful - it just produces ‘goose
pimples’. In a hairy animal though, like a cat, it
traps a thicker layer of warm air next to the skin.
This prevents the skin from losing more warmth.
It acts as an insulator.
14.2 – Control of Body Temperature - Hypothalamus
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Blood system conserves heat

 The arterioles that supply the Q
blood capillaries near to the
surface of the skin become
narrower, or constricted. This
is called vasoconstriction.
Only a very little blood can
flow in them.
 The blood flows through shunt
vessels and the deep-lying
capillaries instead. Because
these are deep under the skin,
beneath the insulating fatty
tissue, the blood does not lose
so much heat to the air.
14.2 – Control of Body Temperature - Rises
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Concentration Control

When temperature rises

Hair lies flat
 The erector muscles in the skin relax, so that the hairs he flat on the skin.
Blood system loses heat
 The arterioles supplying the capillaries near the surface of the skin get wider
- they become dilated. This is called vasodilation. More blood therefore
flows through them. Because a lot of blood is so near the surface of the skin,
heat is readily lost from the blood into the air.
Q
Sweat
 The sweat glands secrete sweat. The sweat lies on the surface of the hot
skin. The water in it then evaporates, taking heat from the skin with it,
thus cooling the body.
14.2 – Control of Body Temperature - Rises
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Concentration Control

Negative feedback
 Figure 14.5 summarises the way in which the hypothalamus, skin and
muscles work together to keep your internal body temperature within narrow
set limits.

▲Figure 14.5 – Maintaining body temperature in a steady

14.2 – Control of Body Temperature - Rises
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Concentration Control

Negative feedback
 We have seen that, when the temperature of
your blood rises above the norm, the
hypothalamus senses this. It responds by
sending nerve impulses to your skin that
bring about actions to help cool the blood.
 When the cooler blood reaches the
hypothalamus, this responds by sending
nerve impulses to your skin that bring about
actions to help reduce the rate at which heat
is lost from the blood. At the same time, the
rate of heat production in the muscles is
increased.
 So, all the time, the hypothalamus is
monitoring small changes in the temperature
of your blood. As soon as this rises above
Q
normal, actions take place that help to Hypothalamus and
reduce the temperature. Negative Feedback
14.2 – Control of Body Temperature - Rises
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Negative feedback
 Then, as soon as the hypothalamus senses
the lowered temperature, it stops these
actions taking place and starts off another
set of actions that help to raise the blood
temperature.
 This process is called negative feedback.
The term ‘feedback’ refers to the fact that,
when the hypothalamus has made your skin
take action to increase heat loss,
information about the effects of these
actions is ‘fed back’ to it, as it senses the
drop in the blood temperature.
 It is called ‘negative’ because the
information that the blood has cooled down
stops the hypothalamus making your skin
Q
do these things. Hypothalamus and
Negative Feedback
14.2 - Questions 14.3 – Blood Glucose
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Concentration Control

14.1 Outline two advantages and one

disadvantage of maintaining a constant
internal body temperature.
14.2 Give two functions of the fatty tissue beneath
the skin.
14.3 Explain how sweating helps to cool the body.
14.4 Name the organ which coordinates
temperature regulation.
14.5 Explain what vasodilation is, and how it
?
helps to cool the body. Q
14.6 Explain what is meant by negative feedback.
14.2 – Control of Body Temperature - Rises
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Concentration Control

Activity 14.1 A
►Experiment to investigate the effect of size on rate of cooling
Skills
A03.3 Observing, measuring and recording Q
A03.4 Interpreting and evaluating observations and data
► Temperature regulation is an important part of homeostasis. We lose heat from our
bodies to the air around us. Cells produce more heat to prevent the body
temperature from dropping.
► In this investigation, you will use containers jf hot water to represent a human body.
The experiment will test this hypothesis:
► A large body cools more slowly than a small one.
1. Take two test tubes or other containers, identical except that one is large and one is
small. You will also need two thermometers.
2. Read through what you are going to do. Draw a results chart in which you can write
your results as you go along. Remember to put the units in your table headings.
3. Now collect some hot water. Pour water into each of your containers until they are
almost full. Immediately take the temperature of each one and record your results

?
for time 0.
4. Take readings every 2 minutes for at least 14 minutes.
5. Draw a line graph to display your results.
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A
Activity 14.1 - Questions
A1 a State two variables that are kept constant in this
experiment.
b Why is it important to keep these variables
constant?
?
A2 a Calculate the number of °C by which the large Q
container cooled during your experiment.
b Calculate the number of °C by which the small
container cooled during your experiment.
A3 Do your results support the hypothesis that you were
testing? Explain your answer.
Activity 14.2
►Investigating the effect of evaporation on the rate of
cooling
14.3 – Control of Blood Glucose Concentration
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Concentration Control

 The control of the concentration of glucose in the

blood is a very important part of homeostasis. Cells
need a steady supply of glucose to allow them to
respire; without this, they cannot release the energy
they need. Brain cells are especially dependent on
glucose for respiration, and die quite quickly if they
are deprived of it.
 On the other hand, too much glucose in the blood is
not good either, as it can cause water to move out of
cells and into the blood by osmosis. This leaves the
cells with too little water for them to carry out their
normal metabolic processes.
 The control of blood glucose concentration is carried
out by the pancreas and the liver (Figure 14.6).
 The pancreas is two glands in one. Most of it is an
ordinary gland with a duct. It makes pancreatic juice,
which flows along the pancreatic duct into the
duodenum (page 84). Q
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 Scattered through the pancreas, however, are groups of cells called islets of
Langerhans. These cells do not make pancreatic juice. They make two
hormones called insulin and glucagon. These hormones help the liver to
control the amount of glucose in the blood. Insulin has the effect of lowering
blood glucose concentration, are glucagon does the opposite.
 If you eat a meal which provides a lot of glucose, the concentration of
glucose in the blood goes up. The islets of Langerhans detect this, and
secrete insulin into the blood.
Q
 When insulin reaches the liver, it causes the liver to absorb glucose from the
blood. Some is used for respiration, but some is converted into the insoluble
polysaccharide, glycogen. This is stored in the liver.
 If the blood glucose
concentration falls too
low, the pancreas secretes
glucagon. This causes liver
cells to break down
glycogen to glucose, and
release it into the blood.
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▲Figure 14.6 – How blood glucose concentration is

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Diabetes
 When the control of blood glucose concentration
does not work, a person is said to have diabetes.
 One type of diabetes is caused by the death of
the cells that secrete insulin. This is called type 1
diabetes.
 It is not certain exactly what causes this disease,
but it is thought to result from the body’s own
immune system attacking and destroying the cells ▲Figure 14.7 – This
in the pancreas that secrete insulin. This type of blood sugar monitoring
diabetes usually develops when a person is a device quickly measures the
young child. concentration of glucose in a
 When a person eats a meal containing a lot of tiny drop of blood.
carbohydrate, the concentration of glucose in the blood increases. Normally, this
would trigger the secretion of insulin from the pancreas, but in a person with type
1 diabetes this does not happen. The blood glucose concentration goes up, and
stays up. This condition is called hyperglycaemia.
 It usually makes the person feel unwell - they may have a dry mouth, blurred
vision and feel very thirsty. Their heart rate and breathing rate may increase.
Q
14.3 – Control of Blood Glucose Concentration
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Diabetes
 On the other hand, not eating carbohydrate for a long time will cause the Q
blood glucose concentration to drop very low. Because no insulin has been
secreted, the liver has not built up stores of glycogen that can now be broken
down to produce glucose. The person has hypoglycaemia.
 Cells do not have a supply of glucose to release energy by respiration, so the
person feels very tired and may show confusion and irrational behaviour.
Eventually, they can become unconscious.
 People with diabetes usually become very
good at recognising when this series of
events is beginning, and know that they need
to eat something sweet to get their blood
glucose concentration up towards normal.
 Having blood glucose concentrations that
swing very high and very low can, over long
▲Figure 14.8 - Disposable test
periods of time, do damage to numerous body
sticks can be used to test urine for the
organs. It is important that a person with type presence of glucose. Normally, there
1 diabetes tries to keep their blood glucose should be no glucose present in urine -
concentration within reasonably normal limits. as is indicated by the result on this
stick.
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Diabetes
 Most people with diabetes get into the habit of checking their blood
glucose concentration regularly, using a simple sensor (Figure 14.7).
They can also test their urine for glucose, using a simple dipstick
(Figure 14.8). Urine should not contain any glucose, but if a person’s
blood glucose concentration rises very high, then the kidneys are not
able to reabsorb it all from the filtrate in the nephron, and some
remains in the urine that is excreted.
 Eating little and often, and
Q
particularly avoiding large amounts
of carbohydrate, can help to stop
blood glucose concentration
fluctuating too widely. People with
type 1 diabetes also need to inject
themselves with insulin to reduce
blood glucose
concentration. Diabetes
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Summary

You should know:

 what homeostasis is and why it is important
Q
 the advantages of controlling body temperature
 the structure of the skin
 how the brain (hypothalamus), skin and muscles
help to control body temperature
 the role of negative feedback mechanisms in
homeostasis
 the roles of the liver and pancreas in keeping blood
glucose concentration within narrow limits
 the symptoms and treatment of type 1 diabetes.
14 – End of Chapter Questions
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1. Explain the difference between each of the following pairs of terms. Q

a. endothermic, ectothermic

?
b. dermis, epidermis
c. vasoconstriction, vasodilation
d. glycogen, glucagon
2. Each of these sentences contains incorrect information. Identify
what is wrong, and then write a sentence that provides correct
information.
a. Homeostasis means keeping your body temperature constant,
b. When we are cold, our hairs stand on end, which keeps us warm,
c. The fatty layer under the skin stops cold air getting into the body,
d. When we are too hot, our sweat glands secrete a cold liquid that
cools us down,
e. When you are too hot, your blood capillaries move closer to the
skin surface,
f. Insulin is an enzyme that changes glucose to glycogen.
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Concentration Control

3. When a person is submerged in cold water, their body temperature Q

can drop very quickly.
This is because heat is transferred quickly, by conduction, from the
warm body into the cold water. An experiment was carried out to
see if it is better to stay still if you fall into cold water, or to try to
swim.
• Two men sat for 30 minutes, in air at a temperature of 15 °C.
?
• They then got into a swimming pool, where the water was also at
a temperature of 15 °C.
• Person A swam for the next
30 minutes. Person B lay
still in the water.
The body temperatures of
both men were measured at
10 minute intervals throughout
the experiment. The results
are shown in the graph.
14 – End of Chapter Questions
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Concentration Control

a. State the body temperature of each man at the start of the Q

experiment,
[2]
b. Explain why their body temperatures remained roughly constant
for the first 30 minutes of the experiment.
[4]
c. Explain why the body temperatures of both men dropped
between 30 minutes and 60 minutes,
[2]
d. Suggest why person A’s
temperature dropped
faster than person B’s
temperature during
this time period. (This is
?
a difficult question! You
may find thinking about
exchange surfaces is
14 – End of Chapter Questions
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Concentration Control

4. a Explain why body cells need a constant supply of Q

glucose.
b. In healthy humans, the blood normally contains about 90 mg
of glucose per 100 cm3 of blood. Name the gland that
secretes the hormones that help to keep this concentration
fairly constant.
c. The graph below shows the changes in concentration of
blood glucose after a meal containing starch.

?
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Concentration Control

c i Explain why the concentration of glucose in the blood rises between A Q

and B.
ii Explain why the concentration of glucose in the blood falls between B
and C.
d The graph shows that the blood glucose concentration remains fairly
constant between C and D. Explain the role of negative feedback in
keeping blood glucose level constant.
e i Make a copy of the graph. On your graph, sketch a curve to show how
you would expect the

?
blood glucose
concentration of a
person with type 1
diabetes to change, if
they ate the same
meal at the same time.
ii Explain your answer
to e i.
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Concentration Control

In this exercise, you are asked to use your knowledge of temperature regulation in
humans, and some new data, to work out answers to questions (A02).
Exercise 14.1 Endotherms and ectotherms
Humans are endotherms - we are able to regulate our body temperatures, keeping the
core body temperature roughly constant no matter what the temperature of our
environment. Many animals, however, are ectotherms. Their core temperature varies
according to the temperature of their environment.
The graph on the next page shows the core temperatures of six animals in different
environmental temperatures,
a. Write the name of each animal in the correct column of the table.
Endothermic animals Ectothermic animals
14 – Homeostasis - Workbook Questions
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Concentration Control

Core body
temperature / °C

Temperature of the environment / °C

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Concentration Control

b. Cyclodus lizards, gopher snakes and alligators need to eat much less
food than cats, rabbits or bettongs. Use the information in the graph to
explain why.
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
c. Use the graph to compare the probable activity of a cat and a cyclodus
lizard when the environmental temperature is 5°C.
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
d. d Cats are predators. Rabbits are herbivores, preyed on by cats and
other mammals. Explain the advantages to cats and rabbits of being
endothermic.
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
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Concentration Control

This exercise is about interpreting data shown in a graph, and relating this to your
knowledge of the regulation of blood glucose (A02).
In some people, the control of blood glucose concentration does not work correctly. In
type I diabetes, the pancreas does not secrete insulin when it should, a In what
circumstances does the pancreas normally secrete insulin?

The graph shows the concentration of glucose in the blood of two people, after they had
eaten a meal containing starch at time 0. One person had type I diabetes, and the other
did not.

Blood glucose
concentration
/arbitrary units
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Concentration Control

b. Explain why the concentration of glucose in the blood increases when a

person has eaten a meal containing starch.
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
c. Suggest which person, A or B, has type I diabetes. Explain your answer
fully.
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
d. Explain why it is important to keep the concentration of glucose in the
blood neither too high nor too low.
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________