Water Balance
Biology: AQA GCSE Higher, topic 5.3.10
Water Balance
Water levels in the body must be kept relatively constant to control the amount of water and ions diffusing into and out of cells. Many factors can disrupt this balance.
Exhalation
- Water in the lungs leaves the body in the person’s breath.
Sweating
- Water, ions and urea are all lost in sweat.
Eating too much salt
- This can make the blood ion concentration too high.
Illness
- Illnesses that cause fever, vomiting or diarrhoea can result in dehydration (the blood's water concentration is too low).
Test yourself on Water Balance
Why can eating too much salt disrupt the body's water balance?
What can happen to the body if an illness causes fever, vomiting or diarrhoea?
How does the effect of eating too much salt on the blood differ from the effect of an illness that causes vomiting or diarrhoea?
Why can eating too much salt or having an illness that causes vomiting and diarrhoea disrupt the body's water balance?