Unit D Conclusion

1. Unit D Conclusion

Unit D Conclusion

All organ systems are finely tuned to work together in the most effective and efficient manner.  Everyone’s organ systems provide and use matter and energy. This is vital to the functioning of life-sustaining activities in the body. The circulatory, respiratory, digestive, and muscular systems are the major systems that you studied in this unit.

At the beginning of this unit you were asked to consider the following questions: How do specialized structures function in the overall biochemical balance of the living system? What conditions result if these structures do not function normally? How does a knowledge of living systems and medical technology support the prevention and treatment of disorders?

Throughout Unit D you have had the opportunity to explore the answers to these questions. Your body systems allow you to maintain equilibrium in the face of a variety of stimuli in an ever-changing environment. The fact that you are able to maintain homeostasis despite many daily disturbances, such as exercise or drinking too much coffee, is a wonder of human physiology.

Perhaps an even greater marvel is the extremes to which some individuals push their bodies. You have explored ways that people may test the limits of their digestive, respiratory, circulatory, excretory, and motor systems. The ability for the human body to adapt to a variety of conditions promotes the idea that you are more than the sum of your parts. The human body is not merely a bunch of tissues, organs, and systems each operating in isolation. Instead, the body is an interdependent collaboration of specialized structures. Their functions are so dependent on one another that if you take even the most minor one away, an individual’s survival is in jeopardy.

In this unit you have learned how the human digestive, respiratory, and excretory systems exchange energy and matter with the environment. In addition, you have looked at the interconnected roles of the circulatory and defense systems in maintaining the body’s homeostasis. You also saw how the muscles of the motor system help the function of all other body systems.

As you looked at how the body exchanges energy and matter to maintain a critical homeostatic state, you also discovered the physiological details of the digestive, respiratory, circulatory, excretory, and motor systems. In the first module of this unit, you explored how the motor system moves people and supports all of the other systems. Your study of the digestive system revealed the chemical nature of carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids. You saw these macromolecules were affected through the processes of chemical and physical digestion. While studying the respiratory system, you looked at gas exchange. While looking at the circulatory system, you saw the composition and movement of blood throughout the body’s vessels as well as the necessity of an efficient immune response. In the study of kidneys, you looked at the process of urine formation and waste elimination.

Finally, in each module you also investigated various technologies related to each system. While many technologies improve quality of life or cure illness, it is impossible to replicate the closely unified and regulated processes of the human body.

Now that you have completed this unit, you will be required to complete a unit assessment. This assessment will be an inquiry project. Each module project has provided you with the opportunity to look at the independent functioning of a body system. In the unit assessment you will be exploring the interdependence of body systems. You will explore how your body is affected by disruptions to the flow of energy and exchange of matter. This could be in the form of a medical disorder or a personal choice, such as smoking. You will also explore the role of technology, diagnostics, and treatment in helping your body to restore homeostasis. Your research will enhance and connect the concept of homeostasis to the healthy functioning of your body systems.