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BBiologyS3 to S6Homeostasis

Homeostasis lab: blood glucose and body temperature

After a plate of rice your blood sugar rises, yet it soon returns to normal. See how hormones keep it steady and what happens in diabetes.

▶ Start the lab🧠 Questions📄 My report
🩸insulin ↓ · glucagon ↑homeostasis and hormones
LevelS3 to S6 (and IGCSE, A Level)
TimeAbout 35 min
You useGraphs, negative feedback
PriceFree: no account

🎯 Aim

To investigate homeostasis of blood glucose and body temperature.

You will learn to

  • Describe the roles of insulin and glucagon.
  • Interpret glucose tolerance data.
  • Compare type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
  • Explain temperature control by negative feedback.

🧭 What to do

  1. Choose Healthy person and change the carbohydrate in the meal.
  2. Compare the other people on the graph.
  3. Add Exercise.
  4. Change the Air temperature and read the body’s responses.
  5. Answer the questions with the class data.
  6. Write your conclusion and download your lab report.

🔬 Lab bench

📋 The data

A glucose tolerance test for two people.

🧠 Investigate: answer from the data

Type your answer and tap Check. Use 💡 Hint first; open the method only when you are stuck.

📄 My lab report

Your report collects the aim, your data table, the graphs, your answers and your conclusion. It is made on your phone or computer: nothing is sent to anyone.

Check your conclusion

After a meal insulin from the pancreas makes cells take up glucose and the liver store it as glycogen; glucagon does the opposite when glucose is low. In diabetes glucose stays high and can appear in urine. Body temperature is kept near 37 °C by sweating, vasodilation, shivering and vasoconstriction. Both are examples of negative feedback.

➕ Get more from this experiment

📝 Free

Print the worksheet (button above), download the data, and save your report. Teachers can project this page in class.

📦 Premium Lab Pack

1 000 RWF

  • Worksheet: interpreting glucose tolerance test data
  • Homeostasis problems
  • Teacher guide and answer key
  • Exam-style questions with marking scheme
See the pack

👩‍🏫 For teachers

Use it as a practical when apparatus is missing, as homework, or as a project. Free lesson plans help you plan, teach and assess.

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