Homeostasis: how the body keeps things steady
Grade 9 Science Worksheet

Circle the best answer.
After a bike ride, Ari's body temperature rises and sweat is released, and the temperature falls back. Is this negative or positive feedback?
- Positive: the response helps the body, and helpful responses are positive
- Negative: the loop is harmful, which is what negative means
- Negative: the response lowers the temperature back toward the set point
- Positive: the temperature rises first, so the loop is positive
Bo reads a model in which a person's glucose level falls between meals and glucagon raises it. Is this negative or positive feedback?
Feedback loop (model, not to scale) for the glucose level, normal range about 70 to 100 mg/dL. Stimulus: the glucose level falls below the range between meals. Sensor: cells of the pancreas. Control center: the pancreas, which releases glucagon. Effector: liver cells that release glucose. Response: the glucose level rises toward the range. Feedback loop (model, not to scale) for the glucose level, normal range about 70 to 100 mg/dL. Stimulus: the glucose level falls below the range between meals. Sensor: cells of the pancreas. Control center: the pancreas, which releases glucagon. Effector: liver cells that release glucose. Response: the glucose level rises toward the range. Feedback loop (model, not to scale) for the glucose level, normal range about 70 to 100 mg/dL. Stimulus: the glucose level falls below the range between meals. Sensor: cells of the pancreas Control center: the pancreas, which releases glucagon Effector: liver cells that release glucose Response: the glucose level rises toward the range. - Negative: the response reverses the fall, even though the level goes up
- Positive: the response raises the level, and negative loops lower a level
- Positive: raising a low level helps the body, so the loop is positive
- Negative: the fall is harmful, so the loop is called negative
Clotting boxes (model, not to scale), starting when a small blood vessel wall is broken. Esme reads the clotting boxes. Thrombin activates earlier factors, so more thrombin forms until a clot is complete. Is this negative or positive feedback?
Clotting boxes (model, not to scale), starting when a small blood vessel wall is broken. Early clotting factor activates next clotting factor. Next clotting factor activates thrombin. Thrombin activates more early clotting factors, and it turns fibrinogen into fibrin until a clot is complete. Clotting boxes (model, not to scale), starting when a small blood vessel wall is broken. Early clotting factor activates next clotting factor. Next clotting factor activates thrombin. Thrombin activates more early clotting factors, and it turns fibrinogen into fibrin until a clot is complete. activates more early clotting factors small blood vessel wall is broken Early clotting factor Next clotting factor thrombin fibrinogen fibrin clot is complete - Positive: each step helps the body, and helpful loops are positive
- Positive: thrombin pushes the change further until an end point
- Negative: the response makes the process bigger, as negative loops do
- Negative: the finished clot reverses the process, so it is negative
not to scale. Response: not shown. Luz reads a model of a long hot day: body fluid volume is low and ADH is released. What do the kidneys do?
Feedback loop (model, not to scale) for body fluid volume. Stimulus: body fluid volume is low. Control center: the hypothalamus and posterior pituitary, which make and release ADH. Effector: ? Response: not shown. Feedback loop (model, not to scale) for body fluid volume. Stimulus: body fluid volume is low. Control center: the hypothalamus and posterior pituitary, which make and release ADH. Effector: ? Response: not shown. Stimulus body fluid volume is low Control center the hypothalamus and posterior pituitary make and release ADH Effector: ? Feedback loop (model) - They make ADH, so the pituitary takes back more water
- They release more water, so more water is lost
- They detect the low volume and report it to the brain
- They take back more water, so less water is lost
The run lasts from minute 0 to minute 20, and the set point is about 37 °C. Milo compares minute 20 with minute 40 on the card. Which statement does the card support?
- Temperature is back at exactly 37 °C at minute 40
- Sweat is higher at minute 40, so the response is still growing
- Temperature, skin blood flow and sweat are lower at minute 40
- Temperature is lower at minute 40, but skin blood flow is higher
A meal is eaten just after minute 0, and the normal range is about 70 to 100 mg/dL. Noah compares insulin and glucagon at minute 30 on the card. Which statement matches the card?
- The two hormones are equal, so the glucose level is steady
- Insulin is higher than glucagon, and the glucose level is below the range
- Glucagon is higher than insulin, and the glucose level is above the range
- Insulin is higher than glucagon, and the glucose level is above the range
Pia reads a graph of the glucose level after a meal. Which statement matches the graph?
Model graph of the glucose level after a meal (model data). Time after eating (minutes) across, 0 to 180, a mark every 30. Glucose level (mg/dL) up, 60 to 140, a mark every 20. The line joins (0, 88), (30, 134), (60, 112), (90, 98), (120, 90), (150, 86), (180, 88) with straight pieces. The normal range is about 70 to 100 mg/dL. Model graph of the glucose level after a meal (model data). Time after eating (minutes) across, 0 to 180, a mark every 30. Glucose level (mg/dL) up, 60 to 140, a mark every 20. The line joins (0, 88), (30, 134), (60, 112), (90, 98), (120, 90), (150, 86), (180, 88) with straight pieces. The normal range is about 70 to 100 mg/dL. Model graph of the glucose level after a meal (model data) 0 30 60 90 120 150 180 60 80 100 120 140 Time after eating (minutes) Glucose level (mg/dL) The normal range is about 70 to 100 mg/dL. - It peaks above the range at 30 minutes, then is back inside it by 90
- It returns to exactly 88 mg/dL and holds there from 90 minutes on
- It keeps rising after the peak, so the response pushes the level further
- It peaks at 60 minutes, then falls below 70 mg/dL
Read this first
Use this
Investigation card (model data). Question: does running time change body temperature? Changed: minutes of running on a track. Measured: body temperature in °C. Kept the same: the pace, the track and the thermometer. Results table: Running time (minutes) | Body temperature (°C): 0 | 37.0; 10 | 37.6; 20 | 38.0.
Ren's class reads an investigation card about exercise. What did the researchers change on purpose?
- The body temperature in degrees Celsius
- The pace of the runner on the track
- The type of thermometer that was used
- The number of minutes spent running
Use this
Investigation card (model data). Question: does the kind of snack change how high the glucose level rises? Changed: the snack, an apple or a slice of bread. Measured: glucose level 30 minutes after eating, in mg/dL. Kept the same: the time of day and the rest before eating. Results table: Snack | Glucose level at 30 minutes (mg/dL): apple | 104; bread | 118.
Tala's class reads a card about two snacks. What was kept the same so the test is fair?
- The time of day and the rest before eating
- The snack, an apple or a slice of bread
- The glucose level 30 minutes after eating
- The amount of insulin the pancreas released
Use this
Investigation card (model data). Question: does room temperature change skin blood flow? Changed: room temperature, 20 °C or 30 °C. Measured: skin blood flow in relative units. Kept the same: the clothing, the time in the room and the activity. Results table: Room temperature (°C) | Skin blood flow (relative units): 20 | 3; 30 | 7.
Zee's class reads a card about warm and cool rooms. What was measured in the investigation?
- The room temperature, 20 °C or 30 °C
- The clothing worn in the room
- Skin blood flow, in relative units
- The time spent in the room