Question

What are the goals of homeostasis and how are they achieved? Where does the energy that the brain/body needs to function come from?

Answer 1

The goal of homeostasis is the maintenance of equilibrium around a point or value called a set point. Homeostasis refers to stability, balance, or equilibrium within a cell or the body. It is the phenomenon by which an animal is self regulating and maintains its body in any particular physiological state, for example tempreture regulation in mammals, osmo-regulation in aquatic animals etc. Homeostatsis is maintained by negative feedback loops. Positive feedback loops actually push the organism further out of homeostasis, but may be necessary for life to occur. Homeostasis is controlled by the nervous and endocrine system of mammals. Because the internal and external environments of a cell are constantly changing, adjustments must be made continuously to stay at or near the set point (the normal level or range). Any change in the internal and external environments of a cell is known as stimulus and the stimulus is recieved by the nervous system and shows the response. The endocrine system plays an important role in homeostasis because hormones regulate the activity of body cells. The release of hormones into the blood is controlled by a stimulus.

All parts of the body (muscles, brain, heart, and liver) need energy to work. This energy comes from the food we eat.