Read the following description.
Clusters of cells located near the carotid artery in the neck sense the amount of oxygen in the blood. If the level is too low, these arteries send signals to the brain that result in an increased breathing rate, which brings more oxygen into the body.
This is an example of which of the following?
negative feedback to amplify small signals
positive feedback helping to maintain homeostasis
negative feedback helping to maintain homeostasis
positive feedback to amplify small signals
I think it is C
C is correct
(Primavera Biology 9A)
Clusters of cells located near the carotid artery in the neck sense the amount of oxygen in the blood. If the level is too low, these arteries send signals to the brain that result in an increased breathing rate, which increases the amount of oxygen in the blood.
You are correct. This is an example of negative feedback helping to maintain homeostasis. Negative feedback occurs when a system responds to changes in the body in a way that reverses the initial change and brings it back to its normal state. In this case, when the level of oxygen in the blood is too low, the carotid artery senses it and sends signals to the brain, resulting in an increased breathing rate. This increased breathing brings more oxygen into the body, helping to maintain the oxygen levels within the normal range.
You are correct! This scenario describes negative feedback helping to maintain homeostasis.
To arrive at this conclusion, we need to understand the concept of homeostasis and different types of feedback mechanisms.
Homeostasis refers to the ability of an organism or system to maintain a stable internal environment despite external changes. In this case, the body needs to maintain a certain level of oxygen in the blood.
Feedback mechanisms help to regulate and maintain homeostasis. There are two main types of feedback: positive and negative.
Positive feedback amplifies or reinforces a response, leading to an increase in a particular activity. Negative feedback, on the other hand, works to counteract a response and brings the system back to the desired set point.
In the given scenario, when the amount of oxygen in the blood near the carotid artery decreases, it triggers a response in the form of increased breathing rate. This increased breathing rate brings more oxygen into the body, subsequently restoring the normal level of oxygen. This process is an example of negative feedback because it counteracts the decrease in oxygen and helps maintain homeostasis.
Therefore, your choice of option C, negative feedback helping to maintain homeostasis, is correct.