Control and Coordination
Analyze the directional growth of a plant's roots towards a leaking underground water pipe.
List two examples of plant hormones that are known to promote growth.
Propose a biological advantage for having involuntary actions like heartbeat and digestion controlled by the hind-brain and mid-brain, rather than the fore-brain.
Analyze the distinct protective roles of the cranium and the cerebrospinal fluid for the human brain.
Identify two structures that protect the central nervous system in humans.
Compare the primary roles of the Central Nervous System (CNS) and the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS).
Identify the hormone that regulates blood sugar levels and name the endocrine gland that secretes it.
Recall the name of the main thinking part of the human brain.
Name the part of the hind-brain that is responsible for maintaining the posture and equilibrium of the body.
Define the term synapse in the context of the nervous system.
A person suffers an injury to their cerebellum. Justify why they would likely have difficulty with activities like riding a bicycle but could still consciously decide to perform the action.
Explain the function of receptors in our body. Identify two types of receptors and the stimuli they detect.
Analyze the consequences for a person whose cerebellum is damaged in an accident.
Compare and contrast tropic movements and nastic movements in plants, providing one example for each.
Analyze the negative feedback mechanism that regulates blood sugar levels when they rise.
Critique the statement: 'The brain has no role in reflex actions.' Justify your answer with evidence from the reflex arc pathway.
Analyze why a person suffering from a severe cold often complains that food tastes bland.
Examine why reflex actions are considered a more efficient way of functioning in urgent situations compared to conscious, thought-out actions.
A doctor diagnoses a patient with goitre after observing a swollen neck. Apply your knowledge of the endocrine system to analyze the hormonal imbalance and dietary deficiency causing this condition.
Evaluate the efficiency of a reflex arc compared to a conscious thought process for an individual touching a hot object. Justify why reflex arcs are still essential even in organisms with complex brains.
Justify the necessity of a feedback mechanism for hormone regulation, using the control of blood sugar by insulin as an example.
Evaluate the effectiveness of adrenaline as a 'fight or flight' hormone by analyzing its diverse effects on multiple target organs.
A doctor diagnoses a patient with a goitre. Create a chain of reasoning to explain the likely hormonal imbalance, the dietary deficiency that caused it, and why the symptom is a swollen neck.
Formulate an argument explaining why complex multicellular organisms require both a nervous system and an endocrine system for control and coordination.
Design an experiment to demonstrate that plant shoots exhibit positive phototropism. List the required materials, procedure, and the expected observations that would support your hypothesis.
Propose a reason why plants evolved to have hormones that inhibit growth, such as abscisic acid, in addition to hormones that promote growth.
Create a detailed comparison between the movement in the leaves of a sensitive plant (Mimosa pudica) and the movement of a human leg, evaluating the differences in stimulus, transmission, mechanism, and speed.
Describe the pathway of a nerve impulse in a reflex arc, from the stimulus to the response.
Describe the structure of a neuron and explain the function of its three main parts.
Explain why the use of iodised salt is advisable. Name the endocrine gland and the hormone associated with iodine.
Explain the difference between movement dependent on growth and movement independent of growth in plants, using one example for each.
Summarize the role of adrenaline when it is secreted into the blood during a scary situation.
Define phototropism and geotropism. Explain the role of the hormone auxin in the phototropic response of a plant shoot.
Compare and contrast the nervous and hormonal mechanisms for control and coordination in animals with respect to speed, transmission, and range of effect.
Examine the role of the plant hormone auxin in the phenomenon of phototropism.
A person accidentally touches a hot iron. Apply your knowledge of the reflex arc to trace and explain the complete sequence of events from stimulus to response.
Critique the classification of the touch-me-not plant's response as a 'simple' plant movement. Formulate an argument highlighting its complexity.
Apply your understanding of adrenaline to predict three specific ways the 'fight or flight' response would be impaired in a person whose adrenal glands are non-functional.
Describe the three major regions of the human brain and list one primary function for the fore-brain and the hind-brain.
Design an experiment to prove that roots exhibit positive hydrotropism, while also controlling for the effect of gravity (geotropism).
Explain how chemical coordination is achieved in plants. Name four major types of plant hormones and state one primary function for each.
A gardener wants to grow a short, bushy hedge instead of tall, single-stemmed plants. Demonstrate how the knowledge of plant hormones can be applied to achieve this.
Evaluate the role of auxin in a pea plant's ability to climb a support structure. Explain how this chemical coordination leads to the observed movement.
Evaluate the limitations of using only electrical impulses for information transmission in a large animal body and justify how chemical signaling (synapses and hormones) overcomes these limitations.
Compare the mechanism of movement in the leaves of a 'touch-me-not' plant with the movement of muscles in a human leg.