Excretory System in Humans: 36 flashcards
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1. Define excretion.
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The removal of waste materials produced in the cells of living organisms is called excretion.
2. What is the excretory system?
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The organ system responsible for the removal of waste products from the body is called the excretory system.
3. Name the three main waste materials produced in human body cells.
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Carbon dioxide, urea, and sweat.
4. Which organs remove waste materials in the human body?
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Lungs, kidneys, and sweat glands.
5. How is carbon dioxide removed from the body?
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Carbon dioxide is produced during respiration and is removed by the lungs during exhalation.
6. What are the nitrogenous wastes produced by decomposition of extra proteins?
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Urea and uric acid.
7. Why is urea harmful if not removed?
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Urea makes the blood impure; if urea and other wastes are not removed constantly, the person will soon die.
8. What is urine?
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A yellowish liquid waste formed when urea and unwanted salts dissolve in water in the body.
9. Name the four organs of the human excretory system.
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Two kidneys, two ureters, a bladder, and a urethra.
10. Where are the kidneys located?
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Below the rib cage on each side of the backbone, just above the waist.
11. What is the function of the kidneys?
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To filter the blood to remove nitrogenous wastes, excess water, and other unwanted salts, which are excreted as urine.
12. What are ureters?
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Narrow tubes from the inner side of each kidney that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder.
13. What is the bladder?
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A muscular bag-like structure situated in the lower abdomen that stores urine till we go to the toilet.
14. What is the urethra?
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A muscular tube through which urine collected in the bladder is passed out of the body at regular intervals.
15. What are the two internal regions of a kidney?
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Cortex (outer, darker region) and medulla (inner, lighter region).
16. What is the renal pelvis?
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A funnel-shaped cavity in the concave part of the kidney through which blood vessels and nerves enter and exit; it is also where the kidney opens into the ureter.
17. What are nephrons?
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Millions of microscopic filtering units present in each kidney; they are the functional units of the kidney.
18. What is Bowman's capsule?
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The cup-shaped bag at the upper end of a nephron.
19. What is the glomerulus?
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A bundle of blood capillaries contained in Bowman's capsule.
20. What is the urinary tubule?
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The tube-shaped lower end of Bowman's capsule; together with Bowman's capsule it makes a nephron.
21. What happens during filtration in the nephron?
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The glomerulus filters impure blood; substances like amino acids, salts, water, and urea pass into Bowman's capsule and then into the urinary tubule.
22. What happens during reabsorption in the nephron?
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Useful substances like glucose, amino acids, and most water are reabsorbed into the blood through capillaries surrounding the urinary tubule.
23. What is the composition of urine?
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2.5% urea, 2.5% other waste salts, and 95% water.
24. How much urine does an adult human pass per day?
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Normally 1 to 1.8 litres of urine per day (24 hours).
25. Name the accessory excretory organs.
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Skin, lungs, and liver.
26. What does sweat contain?
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Excess water, salts, traces of urea, and uric acid.
27. Why do we feel cool when sweat evaporates?
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Evaporation of sweat takes away heat required for evaporation from the body, so the body loses heat and we feel cool.
28. What is the role of the liver in excretion?
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The liver produces bile pigments from haemoglobin of destroyed and dead RBCs, and converts toxic ammonia into less toxic urea for the kidneys to excrete.
29. What is a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)?
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An infection in the urinary tract, caused by bacteria such as E. coli, Chlamydia, and Mycoplasma.
30. Who is more susceptible to UTIs?
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Women are more susceptible to UTIs than men.
31. What is the most common treatment for UTI?
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Antibiotics; over 90% of UTIs can be cured with oral antibiotics.
32. What are kidney stones?
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Solid deposits made of minerals and salts that form inside the kidneys out of substances found in urine.
33. What happens if a large kidney stone gets lodged in the urinary tract?
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It can be very painful and block the flow of urine; surgery may be required to remove it.
34. What is the direction of urine flow in the excretory system?
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Kidney → ureter → bladder → urethra.
35. What does the renal artery bring to the kidney?
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Impure blood containing urea waste.
36. What does the renal vein carry away from the kidney?
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Urea-free clean blood.
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