Unit 1 Reflection: Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology

Unit 1 was an introduction to anatomy and physiology. We learned about anatomical terms, the three kinds of biological molecules, parts of a cell, and four main types of tissue. The essential questions of this unit included:

• What is anatomy? What is physiology? How are they related?
• What are the biological molecules? What are their functions?
• What are the parts of a cell? What are their functions?
• What is histology? How does the structure of a tissue relate to its physiology? How can one differentiate between tissue types?

In this unit I learned a lot of things I did not know before, such as the difference between anatomy (structure of a body part) and physiology (function of a body part) and the anatomical position and how one describes it. I learned more in-depth about the main biological molecules (lipids, carbohydrates, nucleic acids, proteins), how they are made, the different kinds within each category, and their different functions. I also learned about different kinds of tissues, their different structures and functions, and how to tell which one is which under a microscope.

how to describe the anatomical position
(I forgot to draw in the fingers)

Remembering all the new vocabulary words was one of the harder parts of this unit, especially since somethings, like right and left, are not what we normally think of them (right and left are from the other person's point of view, not your own). Next time, I will make a vocabulary list or flashcards to help me remember better.

One of the things I learned that I thought is very interesting is the idea that "form fits function." That is, the purpose of a body part (what it does) will determine its structure (what it looks like). I use this idea whenever I go birdwatching, though I do not always think of it that way. Many times when I go birdwatching, I cannot see the actual bird clearly. Rather, I only see their silhouettes. However, using what little I can see, such as the size and shape of the wings, I can still tell what bird it is. This is because I know the functions of different wing shapes. Birds like vultures, eagles, and hawks need long, broad wings with spread-out primary wing feathers to catch thermals (hot air currents) and soar. Acrobatic birds like falcons, terns, and swallows have narrow wings so they can maneuver quickly. Seabirds like pelicans and albatrosses also have narrow wings (though theirs are much, much longer) to generate lift so they can soar over vast expanses of empty ocean without burning out all their energy and being forced to land.

a hawk has broad, rounded wings to soar, but is not as large as an eagle

a pelican has very long, tapered wings to glide over vast expanses of ocean