The blood glucose level must be kept steady. Cells need a steady supply of glucose. But too much glucose in the blood can harm the body. This control is a f...
Question 1 Report
The blood glucose level must be kept steady. Cells need a steady supply of glucose. But too much glucose in the blood can harm the body. This control is a form of homeostasis. Two hormones do the job. Both are made in the pancreas. After a meal with a lot of sugar, the glucose level rises. The body must bring it down. Between meals the level may fall. The body must raise it again. A student had just eaten a large, sugary meal. They were asked how the body brings the glucose back to normal.
(a) Name the organ that monitors and controls the concentration of glucose in the blood. [1]
(b) Name the hormone that is released when the blood glucose concentration rises. [1]
(c) Explain how this hormone brings a raised blood glucose concentration back down to normal. [3]
(d) Explain what happens in the body to raise the blood glucose concentration when it falls too low. [3]
(e) A person with type 1 diabetes cannot make one of these hormones. Explain why such a person may need to inject the hormone after a meal. [3]
Answer Details
(a) The organ that monitors and controls blood glucose is the pancreas [1].
(b) When blood glucose rises, the hormone released is insulin [1].
(c) Insulin brings a raised glucose level down by making the liver and body cells take up glucose from the blood [1]; the liver converts the excess glucose into glycogen [1], which is stored, so the blood glucose concentration falls back to normal [1].
(d) When glucose falls too low, the pancreas releases the hormone glucagon [1]; glucagon makes the liver convert stored glycogen back into glucose [1]; the glucose is released into the blood, raising the concentration back to normal [1].
(e) A person with type 1 diabetes may need to inject insulin after a meal because they cannot make their own insulin [1]; so after a sugary meal their blood glucose would rise too high and stay high [1]; the injected insulin makes the liver and cells take up the glucose, lowering the level back to normal [1].
Download The App On Google Playstore
Everything you need to excel in your exams
