Patient Care Technician Certification (PCTC) AMCA Practice Exam

The balance or steady state of the body is called what?

1. Equilibrium

2. Homeostasis

3. Adaptation

4. Metabolism

The correct answer is: Homeostasis

The term that describes the balance or steady state of the body is homeostasis. Homeostasis refers to the processes through which the body maintains a stable internal environment despite changes in external conditions. This includes regulating factors such as temperature, pH, hydration, and electrolyte levels, which are crucial for the body’s optimal functioning. Homeostasis is vital for health and well-being because any significant deviation from the normal range can lead to illness. The mechanisms that support homeostasis include feedback systems, hormone regulation, and neural responses that help the body to adjust to changes and maintain equilibrium. In contrast, while equilibrium can refer to balance, it does not explicitly encompass the biological processes that sustain life, which is a critical component of homeostasis. Adaptation describes how organisms adjust to their environment over time, and metabolism refers to the chemical processes within the body that convert food into energy, rather than the maintenance of a stable internal environment.