Human Body Systems Final Assessment
Respiratory System
o How does air pressure help us breathe? (Diaphragm allows for lung to expand, lowering the
pressure inside the lungs. The higher air pressure outside of the lungs moves into the lungs to
equal out pressure.)
o Know the structure and function of the respiratory system. (Warning: This is a big part of
the test!) Look over your notes and the diagram that you color-coded. Also. know what the
epiglottis does and approximately where it is located. Know the function of mucus, nose hairs,
and alveoli. Look over “Respiratory Reading Guide!”
o Recall our asthma simulation activity, and know that the airways (bronchi) narrow and produce
more mucus.
o Know what the substance bromothymol blue is an indicator for. (CO2)
o Be able to clearly explain tidal volume, residual volume, and vital capacity, and how they
applied to the lab we did.
Circulatory System
o Know the parts of your heart, the blood pathway through the heart, and be able to tell on a
diagram if the blood is oxygenated (has oxygen) or deoxygenated (low on oxygen.)
o Remember how exercise and increased “weight” (your heavy backpacks!) affected our heart
rate. Be able to explain why our heart rate increases when we exercise. (more O2 and food
needed to get to our muscles, and more CO2 and other wastes need to be be picked up.)
o Blood-Definitely review the worksheet from “Blood: Life’s Liquid,” page 134-137. Know: scab,
bruise, pus, hemophilia, leukemia, clotting
o Know the plasma is liquid part of our blood, made mostly of water. Know that red cells
(erythrocytes), white cells (leukocytes), and platelets are the solid parts of our blood. Know the
function of each of these parts of the blood.
o Know the difference between an artery (carries blood away from the heart) and a vein (carries
blood toward the heart). Know that gas is exchanged through the capillaries (tiny blood
vessels) Again, know what the alveoli do in the lungs.
o Know the 4 basic blood types (A, B, AB, and O) and be able to tell which types are compatible
with which other types.
o What causes high blood pressure? (narrowing of blood vessels)
Digestive System
You should look over labs and notes we have used for this unit. You should review the digestive
system mini-poster, and know the structure and function. (Warning! This is a big part of the test!
BIG!) You will need to know the order nutrients pass through the main parts of digestive system
(mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, anus).
Other digestive system stuff to study:
Mechanical digestion-physically breaking down food, for example, teeth cutting, tearing and grinding,
the tongue pushing food around, action of muscles in stomach
Chemical digestion-chemicals, such as enzymes, that break down various nutrients
Enzymes are molecules (proteins) that are capable of speeding up a chemical reaction. The
enzymes we studied help break food down into substances that our body can use.
You will need to know about the following enzymes:
 Amylase-breaks starches (complex carbohydrates) into sugars (simple carbohydrates) Pepsinfound in digestive juice along with HCl (hydrochloric acid) breaks down proteins
 Bile-made in liver and stored in the gall bladder, breaks down fats
 Pancreatic juice-contains several enzymes that break down fats, starches and proteins
You will need to recall how to do a test for starch (use Lugol's solution, NO hot water bath!) and sugar
(use Benedict's solution and heat in hot water bath).
Bolus-a lump of chewed food, ready to be swallowed.
Villi-finger-like projections found in the small intestine that increase surface area for better nutrient
absorption. They have microvilli on them which FURTHER increase surface area!
Mucus-lines parts of digestive system, including the stomach where it protects the stomach from the
gastric juice. Since muscles are meat, they are protein and the gastric juice would try to digest it. If
something causes problems with the mucus layer, we get ulcers in our stomach.
Diffusion (also called passive transport)-molecules go from area of higher concentration to areas of
lower concentration. Some nutrients, such as sugar can diffuse through a membrane. (A common
example of diffusion is tea leaving a tea bag in hot water, or the smell of baking cookies spreading
throughout a house.) Some nutrients can pass through the wall of our small intestine by diffusion.
Active transport-using a cell's energy to move certain substances through a cell membrane. Some
nutrients require energy to be moved through the wall of our small intestine. Both active and passive
transport are important because they allow us to get all the nutrients we need to stay healthy!
Peristalsis-the squeezing/pushing action that moves food/nutrients through the digestive system.
Diarrhea-waste passing too fast through the large intestines, not enough water taken out
Constipation -waste passing though the large intestines too slowly with too much water taken out
Heartburn-caused by gastric juice leaking up into the esophagus
Sphincters-the ones in the digestive system control movement of food or digested material throughout
the digestive system. For example, your epiglottis closes off your windpipe (trachea) when you
swallow (remember putting your fingers on your throat when we swallowed the cracker). Another
sphincter keeps food from moving back up into the esophagus from your stomach, another controls
when food moves from the stomach into the small intestines, and another sphincter, the anus,
controls when feces (poop) leaves your body.
Nutrients:
1)
Protein-used to build tissue (especially muscle) and are also used to repair body damage.
These get broken into amino acids by the enzymes found in both gastric juice and pancreatic juice.
Meat and eggs are common examples of proteins.
2)
Fats-used for energy, body padding, and insulation for warmth. These get broken
down
by the enzymes found in both bile and pancreatic juice. Oils, butter, margarine are common
examples of fats.
3)

Carbohydrates (sugar, starch, fiber)
Sugar-a simple carbohydrate used for fast fuel for the body. May be stored in your muscles or
liver for when your cells need more energy. If you get too much, will be stored by the body as
fat.

Starch-a complex carbohydrate that get broken down into sugar by the enzyme amylase and
the enzymes found in pancreatic juice. Bread, crackers, rice, cereal, and potatoes are some
examples of starch.

Fiber-a carbohydrate that provides bulk to help move food through the digestive system. You
will not be tested on examples of fiber.
4)
Water – not on test
5)
Vitamins-made by living organisms, tiny amounts needed by body –Not on test
6)
Minerals-occur naturally in the environment, includes calcium and iron! –Not on test
Muscle/Skeletal Systems
Types of joints:
o Moveable joints include: hinge, ball-in-socket, gliding, pivot
o Immovable joints: The main one we discussed are the joints in your skull where the bones
grew together.
Use your notes to remember where each type of joint is found.
Other muscle/bone things to study:
 Although they CAN be helpful to us in many cases, be able to list 2-3 problems that anabolic
steroids can cause.
 Study your “Chicken Wing Dissection Notes.” You do NOT need to know the 4 layers of the
bone!
 Know what synovial fluid is. (amazing joint lubricant)
 Tendons connect _________________________________________________.
 Ligaments connect _______________________________________________.
 3 types of muscle: skeletal (helps us move,) smooth (makes up digestive tract,) and cardiac
(heart)
 Know why you need to grow a good “bone bank.”
 Anemia-main symptom is fatigue (tiredness)
 Where are your carpal tunnels found?
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What is a repetitive stress injury?
There are two basic kinds: motor and sensory. What are they?
What protects bones from scraping/wearing, is softer than bone, and acts as a shock
absorber?
______________________ is used for warmth and stored energy for our body.

______________________ is where red blood cells are made.