Question

Elaine was enjoying a pleasant day on the ski slopes at Winter Park. When she got on the lift to the top of Parsenn Bowl (12,000 ft), the weather was fine—windy, but sunny. During the 5- or 10-minute ride, the weather changed suddenly; it became a white-out, with icy surface snow, blowing snow, a very strong wind, and extremely low visibility. Many people fell as they got off the lift, including Elaine. However, she got up and joined her family members as they stood, wondering just how they were going to get down the mountain. Meanwhile, the lift closed due to the terrible conditions (50-mile-an-hour wind and a temperature of −20° F). As she adjusted her stance, Elaine somehow twisted and fell again, which resulted in external rotation of her right knee. There was no pain at the time and she thought she could get up and prepare to get down the mountain, but her knee was too unstable. While she sat on the icy surface, her husband notified the lift operator to call the Ski Patrol. In about 20 minutes they arrived and put her on a sled, which they skied down the slope; when they reached the Ski Patrol headquarters, they transferred the sled to a snowmobile and promptly got her down the mountain and into the emergency room.

What would happen to her body if the homeostatic mechanism failed?

What areas of the body would be the most vulnerable to frostbite?

What are the signs and symptoms of frostbite?

Give an example of a negative feedback mechanism that is describing her condition right now. Label all of the components and put what is occurring in her body at this time.

Answer 1

1.Homeostatic imbalance may lead to a state of disease. Disease and cellular malfunction can be caused in two basic ways: by deficiency or toxicity. Deficiency occurs when beneficial pathways are blocked and cells lack adequate quantities of vitamins or minerals. Toxicity occurs when cells have an excess of a toxin that poisons the cell. Cells are delicate and require concise levels of every necessary substance; levels that are too high and levels that are too low can be extremely dangerous. Cells undergo homeostasis to maintain the ideal levels, but, when homeostasis is interrupted, your body may correct or worsen the problem based on certain influences.

If homeostasis is disrupted, it must be controlled or a disease/disorder may result. Your body systems work together to maintain balance. If that balance is shifted or disrupted and homeostasis is not maintained, the results may not allow normal functioning of the organism.

2.Frostbite is damage to skin and tissue caused by exposure to freezing temperatures – typically any temperature below -0.55C (31F). Frostbite can affect any part of your body, but the extremities, such as the hands, feet, ears, nose and lips, are most likely to be affected.

3.Signs and symptoms include-

• At first, cold skin and a prickling feeling.
• Numbness.
• Red, white, bluish-white or grayish-yellow skin.
• Hard or waxy-looking skin.
• Clumsiness due to joint and muscle stiffness.
• Blistering after rewarming, in severe cases.

4.Negative feedback works in homeostasis the following way

Maintenance of homeostasis usually involves negative feedback loops. These loops act to oppose the stimulus, or cue, that triggers them. For example, if your body temperature is too high, a negative feedback loop will act to bring it back down towards the set point, or target value, of 98.6 ∘ F