You are hiking in the mountains on a warm summer day. As you are walking up a st

Question

You are hiking in the mountains on a warm summer day. As you are walking up a steep incline, your leg muscles are working pretty hard. They need to produce a lot more ATP than usual in order to propel you upward. Your breathing becomes deeper and more rapid as you work to bring in more air. You also notice that you are getting warm and starting to sweat. You have water with you and decide to stop for a water and snack break. Your snack consists of a power bar that contains a nice mix of carbs, proteins, and lipids. Just what your body needs! As you sit and replenish your energy and water, you marvel at the beauty of your surrounds and feel a sense of appreciation that your body is healthy and able to adjust its activities to meet your ongoing needs.

1. Oxygen is needed for ATP production by your muscles. Describe how the lungs are working to increase the inflow of fresh air, so that more oxygen can be delivered to your muscles. Describe a regulatory mechanism that would explain why your breathing became deeper and more rapid while you were hiking.

2. Prior to taking a break, your body was losing water thru sweat. Describe how the kidneys would adjust their activities to reduce the loss of water thru urination, and reduce the potential for dehydration. Describe a regulatory mechanism that would explain how this adjustment would be made.

3. The nutrients in the power bar and the water are taken in thru the digestive tract to help meet your body's energy needs and help to keep you hydrated. Describe where in the digestive tract each of the nutrients is broken down into an absorbable form and where the nutrients and water are absorbed. Describe a hormonal regulatory mechanism that would help to make the digestion of these nutrients possible.

Make sure to include detail about the anatomical structures involved to provide a thorough picture of the processes taking place and complete pathways for the regulatory mechanisms (i.e. the trigger for the pathway, the control center, the efferent pathway, and the effector/effector response).

Explanation / Answer

1). Hiking in the mountains in a warm summer day ---> More ATP consumption and loss of fluid ----> The stimulation of sympathetic response, activation of renin-angiotensin system and release of cortisol ----> Increased blood glucose levels, increased metabolic activity ----> More carbon dioxide produced and increased demand for oxygen ----> Stimulation of respiratory center in the medulla oblongata ----> More deeper and rapid respiration (this is aided by the relaxation of bronchial smooth muscles by sympathetic stimulation)

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