Anatomy and Physiology For Dummies

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Ultrasound imaging technology uses the echoes of sound waves sent into the body to generate a signal that a computer turns into a real-time image of anatomy and physiology. Ultrasound can also produce audible sounds, so the anatomist or physiologist can, for example, watch the pulsations of an artery while hearing the sound of the blood flowing through it. Although all these technologies are considered noninvasive, ultrasound is the least invasive of all, and so is used more freely, especially in sensitive situations like pregnancy.

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 Thoracic cavity: The chest; contains the trachea, bronchi, lungs, esophagus, heart and great blood vessels, thymus gland, lymph nodes, and nerve,. as well as the following smaller cavities: The liquefied food gradually passes into the small intestine. In the first part of the small intestine, called the duodenum, enzymes from the pancreas are added. These enzymes complete the chemical breakdown of the food. The digestion of fat is aided by bile, which is made in the liver and stored in the gall bladder. The small intestine of an adult is about 21 feet (6.4 meters) long. Most of its length is devoted to absorbing the nutrients released during these digestive activities.Medical and crime shows have made body cavities all too familiar, and anatomically speaking, these spaces are very important, providing housing and protection for vital organs. The following list identifies the cavities of the human body. The fourth shell (which can be found in elements such as potassium, calcium, and iron) holds up to 18 electrons. Higher shells also exist.

Stop reading for a minute. Stand up straight. Look forward. Let your arms hang down at your sides with your palms facing forward. You are now in anatomical position (see Figure 1-1). Whenever you see an anatomical drawing, the body is in this position. Using this position as the standard removes confusion. 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 Perspective Human pathophysiology is the science of human anatomy and physiology gone wrong. (The prefix path- is Greek for suffering.) It’s the interface of human biology and medical science. Clinical medicine is the application of medical science to alleviate an anatomical or physiological problem in an individual human. If you’re talking anatomy and physiology, you’re talking about the human body and its organs. The 11 systems in the following table provide the means for every human activity — from breathing to eating to moving to reproducing: System

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pH (potential of hydrogen): A mathematical measure on a scale of 0 to 14 of the acidity or alkalinity of a substance. A solution is considered neutral, neither acid nor base, if its pH is exactly 7. (Pure water has a pH of 7.) A substance is basic if its pH is greater than 7 and acidic if its pH is less than 7. Base: A substance that becomes ionized when placed in solution, producing negatively charged hydroxide ions, OH –. Bases are referred to as being more alkaline than acids and are known as proton acceptors. Stronger bases separate into larger numbers of OH – ions in solution. The following list of common anatomical descriptive terms that appear throughout this and every other anatomy book may come in handy: 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.