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AQA GCSE Biology — Homeostasis and Response flashcards

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Topic 4.5 of AQA GCSE Biology: control systems, the nervous system and reflexes, brain and eye, thermoregulation, hormones, blood glucose, kidneys, the menstrual cycle, contraception and plant hormones. Higher Tier and Biology-only cards are marked.

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Learn deck · part of AQA GCSE Biology · written against: AQA GCSE Biology (8461) specification, version 1.0; Higher Tier and separate-science-only cards marked on the front. Updated 2026-10-10.

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  1. What is homeostasis?
    Regulating internal conditions so that a cell or the whole organism stays at the optimum for functioning, despite changes inside or outside it.

    Example: keeping body temperature close to 37 °C.
    Homeostasis and Response › Homeostasis
  2. Why does the body need homeostasis to keep its cells working?
    It keeps conditions at the optimum for enzymes and for every other cell process.

    Why: enzymes work fastest within a narrow range of temperature and pH.
    Homeostasis and Response › Homeostasis
  3. Name three internal conditions that homeostasis controls in the human body.
    Blood glucose concentration, body temperature and water levels.

    Why: the control can involve nervous responses, chemical (hormonal) responses or both.
    Homeostasis and Response › Homeostasis
  4. What three kinds of component does every automatic control system include?
    Receptors, coordination centres and effectors.

    Example: in blood glucose control, the pancreas is the coordination centre.
    Homeostasis and Response › Homeostasis
  5. What are effectors, and what do they do in a control system?
    Muscles or glands that carry out a response that returns conditions to their optimum.

    Example: a sweat gland is an effector in temperature control.
    Homeostasis and Response › Homeostasis
  6. Which organs make up the central nervous system?
    The brain and the spinal cord.

    Why: the CNS receives impulses from receptors and coordinates the response of effectors.
    Homeostasis and Response › The Nervous System
  7. In what order does information pass through the nervous system in a response?
    Stimulus → receptor → coordinator → effector → response

    Example: light (stimulus) → retina (receptor) → brain (coordinator) → muscle (effector).
    Homeostasis and Response › The Nervous System
  8. Why are reflex actions important?
    They are automatic and rapid, so they protect the body from harm without waiting for conscious thought.

    Example: pulling a hand away from a hot object.
    Homeostasis and Response › The Nervous System
  9. Trace the path of an impulse through a reflex arc, from receptor to effector.
    Receptor → sensory neurone → relay neurone → motor neurone → effector

    Why: the relay neurone lies in the spinal cord or an unconscious part of the brain, so conscious thought is bypassed.
    Homeostasis and Response › The Nervous System
  10. What is a synapse, and how does a signal cross it?
    A synapse is the gap between two neurones; a chemical is released and diffuses across the gap, starting an impulse in the next neurone.

    Why: synapses make sure impulses travel in one direction only.
    Homeostasis and Response › The Nervous System

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About these cards

Review status: Second-reader reviewed, with corrections applied.

Checked against:

  • Topic outline follows the AQA GCSE Biology (8461) specification, version 1.0 (outline only; no specification text reproduced).
  • OpenStax Biology 2e, OpenStax Anatomy and Physiology 2e and OpenStax College Physics 2e, consulted as references; no text copied.
  • Also checked against NHS website pages (nhs.uk) (reference only; no text copied).

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