Life Processes and Systems

A living thing can carry out seven processes called as life processes.
1. Nutrition
2. Respiration
3. Excretion
4. Sensitivity
5. Movement
6. Reproduction
7. Growth

Every living organism is made up of cells.
A group of cells a tissue
A group of tissues an organ
A group of organs a system
Every system performs an essential function. The functions of the systems are dependent on
one another. Some systems in the body are;
1. Digestive system
2. Circulatory system
3. Excretory system
4. Skeletal system
5. Muscular system
6. Respiratory system
7. Nervous system

1. The Digestive system
The digestive system is made up of the
digestive tract (a series of hollow organs
joined in a long, twisting tube from
mouth to anus) and other organs that
help the body to break down and absorb
food.
Inside the hollow organs is a lining called
the mucosa which has tiny glands to
produce juices which help digestion to
digest food. The tract also contains layers
of muscle to break food and move it
along the tract.
Importance of digestion
To break down food and drinks to small
parts for the body build and nourish cells to
provide energy.
The process includes;
Mixing food with digestive juices
(Digestive glands eg. Salivary glands
produce saliva which contain an
enzyme to break down starch,
glands in the stomach lining which
produce stomach acids which breaks
proteins, pancreases produces juices
to break down a variety of
carbohydrates, fat and proteins,
liver glands helps to digest fats)
Moving through digestive tract
Breaking down large molecules into
smaller molecules
Digestion begins in the mouth when
you chew and completed in the
small intestine.
Problems
Constipation
Diabetes
Diarrhea
Gastritis
2. The Circulatory System
The circulatory system is made up of the
heart and blood vessels, including arteries,
veins and capillaries. The body has 2
circulatory systems;
1. Pulmonary circulation the short
loop that carried blood from the
heart to the lungs and back again
2. Systemic circulation sends blood
from the heart to all the other parts
of the body and back again




The heart has 4 chambers that are
enclosed by thick, muscular walls
between lungs, and just to the ledt of
the middle of the chest cavity.
Bottom 2 chambers right and left
Ventricles (pumps blood out of the
heart)
Upper 2 chambers right and left Atria
(receive the blood entering the heart)
Arteries are thickest blood vessels with
muscular walls which carry blood away
from the heart.
Veins are not thick and muscular as
arteries which carry blood back to the
heart.
Importance of the circulatory system
It supplies oxygen and nutrients to the
body working with the respiratory
system.
Pulmonary circulation
One complete heartbeat makes up a Cardiac Cycle

Blood
Blood has 2 components
1. Blood cells
2. Blood plasma
There are 3 types of Blood cells.
1. Red blood cells contains
Hemoglobin pigment and helps to
transport oxygen
2. White blood cells protection from
germs
3. Platelets helps blood clotting and
prevent continuous bleeding after
injury.
Blood plasma carries nutrients and
waste materials (eg. Carbon dioxide)
and urea through the body
Functions of the blood
Provides oxygen and
nutrients to all cells in the
body
Remove waste materials
produced by organs
Fight against germs
Maintains constant
temperature of the body
Diseases of the circulatory system
Anemia
Leukemia
High blood pressure
Coronary heart disease

Prevention of the diseases
Healthy foods
Regular exercises
Rest and sleep

Avoiding smoking and alcohols
Avoid mental stress

3. The Excretory system
The primary organs of the excretion are the
-Lungs - waste gases are carried by blood
traveling though the veins to the lungs
-Kidneys - Liquid waste is removed as urine
-Skin Dead cells and sweat are removed

Each kidney is
about 10 cm
long and shaped
like beans.
Systemic circulation

During circulation blood passes through the
kidney to deposit used and unwanted
water, minerals and urea. The kidneys filter
waster from the blood and forms urine. The
bladder stores urine until urine are
removed. Each day kidneys can produce
about 1.5 L of urine.
If kidneys are not working properly
the buildup waste will lead to death.
Treatments
Mild conditions medication
Severe Dialysis and kidney transplants
Prevention
- Drink plenty of water
-Avoid alcohols consumption

4. The Skeletal system
Functions
It serves;
The form and the shape for our
bodies to support and to protect
vital organs(brains is protected
by the skull, heart and lungs by
sternum and rib cage)
Allows bodily movements (with
interactions of muscular and
skeletal systems)
Produces blood(by the marrow
of some bones)
Store minerals (eg. Calcium and
phosphorus)
The body has 206 bones forming a rigid
framework to which the softer tissues and
organs are attached.
The place where bones meet another is
called a joint
Muscles which cause a movement of a joint
are connected to two different bones.

(eg. Contraction of biceps and relaxation of
triceps allows bending elbow)



There are 2 parts of human skeleton
1. The Axial skeleton (eg. Skull, ribs,
sternum, vertebral column)
2. The appendicular skeleton (eg.
Upper and lower extremities etc. )




Diseases
Osteoporosis
Rickets
Bone fractures
How to prevent
Regular exercises
consuming calcium rich foods
correct posture
5. Muscular system

The human body contains more than 650 muscles
that are attached to the skeleton. They provide the
pulling power for the body.
The system contains 3 types of muscle tissues.
1. Skeletal muscles (about 40% of body weight
and composed of muscle fibers. The nervous
system controls the contractions of these.)
2. Cardiac muscles (the muscle of the heart
and it is not attached to a bone)
3. Smooth muscles (much of our internal
organs are made up of these. They are in bladder,
arteries and veins, digestive tract)
Each of these tissues has the ability to contract which allows body movements.
There are 2 types of muscles in the system
1. Involuntary muscles (we have no control over these muscles eg. Cardiac muscles and
smooth muscles)
2. Voluntary muscles (we can control these eg. Skeletal muscles)

Illnesses
-Muscle sprains
-Muscle spasms
-Tearing of muscle
Prevention
-Regular exercises
-correct posture
-healthy diet

6. The respiratory system
All animals need oxygen to live. We breathe to get oxygen
into our bodies and get rid of carbon dioxide.
The respiratory system is made up of nose, nose cavity
(inhales and cleans the air), the wind pipe and bronchial tree
(joins upper part to the lungs), and lungs.
The lungs fill our chest from the neck to the ribs and they are
covered by the ribs. Blood is pumped into lungs and out from
lungs through circulatory system.

7. The Nervous System
This system is a very complex system in the body. It has 2 mains
systems.
1. The Central Nervous System [CNS]-(the spinal cord and
the brain ; the function is to get information from the
environment and to send out instructions)
2. The Peripheral Nervous System [PNS]- (all the nerves;
sends messages from the brain to the rest of the body)
-The brain keeps the body in order and allows us to think,
feel, remember and imagine.
-It communicates with the rest of the body through the
spinal cord and the nerves. The brain gives instructions.
-The nerves divide many times when they leave the spinal cord. Those nerves are a bundle
of hundreds of neurons (nerve cells). The spinal cord runs through the holes in your
backbone. These bones protect the spinal cord form damage.