Okay, it’s test time! Take advantage of the test itself. You may find that the answer to an exam question that stumps you is revealed — at least partially — in the phrasing of a subsequent question. Stay alert to these blessed little gifts even when you think that you already understand all the anatomical structures and physiological processes. You won’t be the first student to change an answer after working your way through an exam. Review your mistakes The dorsal cavity consists of two cavities that contain the central nervous system. The first is the cranial cavity, the space within the skull that holds your brain. The second is the spinal cavity, the space within the vertebrae where the spinal cord runs through your body.

Phylum Chordata: Animals that have a number of structures in common, particularly the notochord, a rodlike structure that forms the body’s supporting axis. PDF / EPUB File Name: Anatomy_and_Physiology_For_Dummies_-_Erin_Odya.pdf, Anatomy_and_Physiology_For_Dummies_-_Erin_Odya.epub The digestive system consists of a series of connected organs that work together to break down, or digest, food into small molecules that are absorbed into the circulatory system, which then carries them to the body’s tissues. The major structures of the digestive system are the mouth, tongue, esophagus, stomach, intestines, rectum, and anus. The liver, gallbladder, and pancreas also are part of the system. Following are ten key things you can start doing today to ensure success not only in anatomy and physiology but in any number of other classes. Write down important stuff in your own words

Adam Bede

This chapter is about your life as an organism. As Chapter 1 explains, organism is the fifth of five levels of organization in living things. Although the word organism has many possible definitions, for the purposes of this chapter, an organism is a living unit that metabolizes and maintains its own existence . In the 1970s, computer technology took off, taking medical imaging technology with it. Digital imaging techniques began to be applied to convert multiple flat-slice images into one three-dimensional image. The first technology of this sort was called computed axial tomography (commonly called a CAT or CT scan), in which multiple X-ray images are combined into cross-sectional pictures of structures inside the body. These detailed and extensive images were unlike anything that had been available to anatomists before. CT technology is still an active area of development. Major technology manufacturers maintain robust product lines of CT instruments and accoutrements for use in clinics and clinical research.

Acid: A substance that becomes ionized when placed in solution, producing positively charged hydrogen ions, H +. An acid is considered a proton donor. (Remember, atoms always have the same number of electrons as protons. Ions are produced when an atom gains or loses electrons.) Stronger acids separate into larger numbers of H + ions in solution. The laws of thermodynamics are the foundation of how the physics and chemistry of the universe are understood. They’re at the we hold these truths to be self-evident level for chemists and physicists of all specialties, including all biologists. The first law of thermodynamics states that energy can be neither created nor destroyed — it can only change form. (Turn to Chapter 16 for a brief look at the first law and other basic laws of chemistry and physics.) Energy changes form continuously — within stars, within engines of all kinds, and, in some very special ways, within organisms. A key endocrine gland is the pituitary, which is located under the brain in the middle of the head. It produces at least eight hormones, which affect growth, kidney function, and development of the gonads, or sex organs. Because some of the pituitary’s hormones stimulate other glands to produce their own hormones, the pituitary is called the master gland. The respiratory system helps in gas exchange by taking in oxygen from the air and expelling carbon dioxide from the body. Air enters the nose and mouth and travels through the larynx, or voice box, and trachea, or windpipe. At the lungs, the trachea branches to form two bronchi (singular, bronchus); each bronchus enters one of the lungs. In the lungs the bronchi branch further, forming smaller airways called bronchioles, which further divide many times to form a very large number of small air spaces called alveoli. tip.eps Every time you come across an anatomical or physiological term that’s new to you, pull it apart to see whether any of its fragments are familiar. Using this knowledge, go as far as you can in guessing the meaning of the whole term. After studying Table 1-1 and the other vocabulary lists in this chapter, you should be able to make some pretty good guesses. Looking at the Body from the Proper PerspectiveHuman anatomists and physiologists have divided the human body into organ systems, groups of organs that work together to meet a major physiological need. For example, the digestive system is one of the organ systems responsible for obtaining energy from the environment. Other organ systems include the musculoskeletal system, the integument, the nervous system, and on down the list. The chapter structure of this book is based on the definition of organ systems. Level V: The organism level