Grade 8 – Biology

Human Biology
The Excretory System
 Overall Objective

• Describe the structure of the human

excretory (renal) system and its function
(limited to kidneys filtering blood to remove
urea, which is excreted in urine).
 Revisiting the basics – Q&A session

1) Define ‘excretion’.
 Excretion

The removal of metabolic waste products and

substances in excess of requirements

2. State two examples each for metabolic

waste products and substances in excess of
requirements.
 Excretion

Metabolic wate products: urea, carbon dioxide

Substances in excess of requirements: water,

salts/minerals (not always in excess)
 Revisiting the basics – Q&A session

3) Why should metabolic waste products be

removed?
 Excretion

Build up of metabolic waste products are toxic

to the body

4. Is there a difference between ‘excretion’ and

‘egestion’? What is the difference?
 Excretion

‘Excretion’ is getting rid of products produced

in the body as a result of metabolism such as
urea and CO2. ‘Egestion’ is the removal of
undigested food. The molecules in the
undigested food, such as cellulose, could not be
metabolised by the enzymes we have.
 Excretion (pay attention to the language)

Also, note that urea is produced in the body

and is present in the blood. It is excreted as
urine which is made up of urea, excess salts
and water. Faeces, on the other hand, is mostly
undigested materials that were never absorbed
into the blood and are egested.
 Revisiting the basics – Q&A session

5) Where do the urea and CO2 come from?

And outline how they are excreted.
 Excretion
CO2: is a by-product of respiration, produced in almost
all cells. It diffuses into the bloodstream and is
transported to the lungs where it diffuses out during
exhalation.

Urea: is a by-product of amino acid metabolism in the

liver (deamination) and is also released into the
bloodstream. It is transported to the kidneys and is
excreted along with water as urine.
 Revisiting the basics – Q&A session

6) What are the parts of the human excretory

system?
 Excretion
- A pair of kidneys, each supplied by
- Renal artery and drained by
- Renal vein
- A pair of ureters that drain the urine from kidneys
- Into the urinary bladder which stores the urine &
- The urethra through which urine leaves the body
 The Human Renal System

Let’s revisit the human renal system structures and functions.

Do you remember that kidneys contain nephrons? Do you
remember the terms ultrafiltration and selective reabsorption?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FN3MFhYPWWo

4 minutes
 Extension (watch before you pee the next time!)

Remember, the organ systems work together in complex

ways all the time. Watch this video on the right to
understand how neurones and muscles are working with
the excretory system. Watch the one below to
understand how hormones work with the kidneys!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ze4Qmpq48AQ

4 minutes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iMGFqMmUFs
 Summary & next lesson
• We revisited the human excretory system studied in grade 7
• We recalled:
• the parts of the human excretory system
• The roles of the nephrons (ultrafiltration by glomerulus and selective
reabsorption by the nephron tubule)
• Now that we know how the kidneys work, we will solve some data
based questions in the next lesson and explain some trends