Biological Perspective on Bean Farts

Bean Farts - Biological Perspective

• Beans produce gas due to the breakdown of complex carbohydrates (sugars)
• Bacteria in the gut ferment these carbohydrates to produce gas
• The gas is primarily carbon dioxide and methane
• The size and shape of the digestive tract influence fermentation rate and efficiency

Physiology: Form & Function

• Anatomy – the study of the form or structure of body parts.
• Physiology – the study of the function of body parts and how they work together.
• These are related since the form of a structure often determines its function.
• Form dictates function

Characteristics of Living Things

• Movement – moving from one location to another, or changing direction, internal body movement
• Responsiveness - ability to recognize and react to changes in the environment
• Growth - increase in size and mass
• Reproduction – producing copies (or near copies) and passing on their DNA
• Cellular Respiration – using oxygen to release energy from food, expelling carbon dioxide
• Digestion – breaks down food into usable nutrients and expels waste
• Absorption – digested foods pass through membranes into the bloodstream
• Circulation – movement of substances throughout the body
• Assimilation – digested food is changed into other substances by the body
• Excretion – removal of all waste products

Linking Living Processes and Energy

• Energy is needed for all living processes.
• Organisms gain energy in several ways.
• Autotrophs make their own food (e.g., plants) while heterotrophs consume other organisms
• The stored energy in glucose is released and turned into ATP for the body's use.
• Metabolism is all the chemical reactions that happen in living organisms to keep them alive.
• Homeostasis is necessary in order to keep a stable environment in the body.

Basic Anatomical Terms

• Axial – the head and torso
• Appendicular – the arms and legs
• Viscera – internal organs
• An organism can be sectioned into parts - axial and appendicular

Anatomical Directions and Planes

• Anatomical Position - a standard reference point when studying the human body
• Midline - divides the body into right and left.
• Medial – towards the midline
• Lateral – away from the midline
• Superior (cranial) – above
• Inferior (caudal) – below
• Dorsal – the back
• Ventral – the front
• Anterior - in front of
• Posterior - behind
• Proximal - closest to the point of attachment
• Distal - furthest from the attachment point
• Superficial – towards the surface
• Deep – away from the surface
• Coronal (Frontal) plane- divides the body into front and back halves
• Sagittal (median) plane – divides the body into right & left halves
• Axial (Transverse) plane – divides the body into top and bottom halves

Body Cavities

• Cranial - head
• Vertebral- spine
• Thoracic- chest
• Abdominal- midsection
• Pelvic- pelvis