D2: Explain the importance of homeostasis in maintaining the healthy functioning of the body.
Homeostasis is highly important as many processes going on in our body are based on this phenomenon. Homeostasis processes every day in our body are diffusion, osmosis, active transport etc. Diffusion means movement of solute molecules from a section of its high concentration to the low concentration region. Osmosis is movement of water from a mixed solution to a concentrated solution through a semi-permeable membrane.
Homeostasis is the balance or equilibrium. How your body works to maintain equilibrium is reflected in how your vital signs …show more content…
During anaerobic respiration in the muscles particularly, lactic acid builds up. This creates an oxygen debt, homeostasis aims to compensate for this debt and therefore removes lactic acid from the body (as it is toxic), and consequently breathing rate is also increased. Homeostasis defines as a mechanism which maintains a constant body environment for normal body functioning. For example heat increase on the human body. The heat receptor in the skin recognises heat increase and sends a signal to the hypothalamus. The heat inhibitory centre is stimulated and heat stimulatory centre is reserved. As a result of this you get vasodilatation; hair lies flat on the skin, sweating etc. This is important to a healthy function body because heat affects proteins for example. If some hormones have a narrow optimum temperature, if it were to stay constantly high, then the hormones would not be able to function effectively which also goes for enzymes etc.
Maintaining a healthy functioning of the body is important because the optimum temperature that enzymes in our bodies work is around 37 degrees, our body temperature. If temperatures were to drop then the activity of these enzymes would be slowed and hence so will many metabolic activities. If the temperature exceeds the optimum these enzymes may denature.
Another point to look at is, affecting enzymes is acidity of the