In: Anatomy and Physiology
For each of the following nonbiological processes, state whether you think it is analogous to physiological positive feedback, negative feedback, or neither of these, and justify each answer: (a) the cruise control of a car maintaining a preset highway speed; (b) a flushed toilet tank refilling to its original resting level; (c) a magnifying glass focusing the sun’s rays and catching a piece of paper on fire; (d) a house fire in which heat from the flames ignites adjacent flammable material until, if unchecked, the whole house is consumed; (e) the increasingly loud howl of a loudspeaker as a band is setting up the sound stage for a concert and gets a microphone too close to the speaker.
(a) the cruise control of a car maintaining a preset highway speed.
Answer: negative feedback
Explanation : decrease in speed will stimulate the acceleration of speed and increased speed will cause deceleration of speed. So it maintains a steady speed level
(b) a flushed toilet tank refilling to its original resting level
Answer : negative feedback
Explanation : empty tank stimulates the filling of the tank whereas filled up tank inhibits the water switch.
(c) a magnifying glass focusing the sun’s rays and catching a piece of paper on fire
Answer. Neither of the two
Explanation : in feedback mechanism the response generated cause either simulation or inhibition of the action which evoked them.
(d) a house fire in which heat from the flames ignites adjacent flammable material until, if unchecked, the whole house is consumed.
Answer: positive feedback
Explanation :The result of an action further exaggerate the responses generated by the action. Here process of initiating ignition is the action and the response generated by it further favours the ignition
(e) the increasingly loud howl of a loudspeaker as a band is setting up the sound stage for a concert and gets a microphone too close to the speaker.
Answer. Neither of the two