Lab 1
Introduction to the Human Body
and
Measurements of the Human Body
Laboratory Objectives
Demonstrate the anatomical position. Give representative examples of how the
anatomical position is used to describe directional terms, planes and sections,
body regions and cavities, and abdominopelvic quadrants.
Define the concept of homeostasis as an underlying principle in the study of
living systems.
Illustrate an example of a negative, and a positive feedback system (loop) in
maintaining homeostasis
Contrast homeostatic compensation with the pathology exhibited by homeostatic
disruption.
Explain how an autopsy is used as a tool for gaining postmortem knowledge not
only of cause of death, but also of factors previously affecting the living body.
Name the base units in the English (US Customary) system for length, mass,
liquid volume and dry volume. Demonstrate an ability to convert between
different units (for example, cups to gallons).
Name the base units in the Système Internationale d’unités (SI) or Metric system.
State the meaning of the prefixes used before SI units.
Convert large and small numbers using scientific notation into more manageable
numbers raised to either a positive or negative power of 10.
Demonstrate an ability to convert measurements of length, mass and volume
between US customary and SI units, operating in either direction.
Apply Dimensional Analysis (also called the ―Factor-Label Method‖) to convert
complex problems involving changes in units.
Using Dimensional Analysis, convert normal blood values for human blood from
one system of units to another.
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Activity 1 : PowerAnatomy
Navigation: WileyPlus > Read, Study, and Practice > Chapter 1. An Introduction to the
Human Body > PowerAnatomy > Table of Contents > 1 - Anatomical Language
Review the following sections: human anatomical position, body regions,
anatomical terms , directional terms, and planes and sections.
Complete exercises A, B, and C (link in lower-left corner).
Complete review sections 1-4 (link in lower-left corner).
1. Describe the human anatomical position.
2. Compare anatomical terminology and directional terminology.
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Activity 2: Interactive Exercise: System Contributions to Body Homeostasis
Navigation: WileyPlus > Read, Study, and Practice > Chapter 1. An Introduction to the
Human Body > Do > Interactive Exercise: System Contributions to Body Homeostasis
1. Describe the basic structure and function of the respiratory system.
2. Describe the basic structure and function of the nervous system.
3. Describe the basic structure and function of the lymphatic system.
4. List the main structures of the cardiovascular system.
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Activity 3: Postmortem Examination
Navigation: Internet Browser > http://streaming.weber.edu:8080/ramgen/wsuonline/
hs1110/postmortem.rm
Video—The Postmortem Examination
The postmortem examination is a 1/2 hour long video of a pathologist doing a postmortem
examination. This autopsy was filmed by Dr. Craig Gundy of the Health Sciences Department
with the permission of the medical examiner and the family; although this may be difficult to
view for some students, there is much to be learned by seeing how this examination is
performed.
As you watch the video, answer the following questions.
1. What was the suspected cause of death?
2. What abdominal structure helps identify individuals?
3. Which vessel is checked for the presence of clots in the lungs?
4. What are the first structures cut to free up the brain from the skull?
5. Why was the dura mater peeled away from the skull?
6. What organ looks like a butterfly wrapped around the larynx.
7. Why were the contents of the stomach black?
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Activity 4: Interactive Concepts and Connections: Homeostasis
Navigation: WileyPlus > Read, Study, and Practice > Chapter 1. An Introduction to the
Human Body > Do > Interactive Concepts and Connections: Homeostasis
1. Describe the positive-feedback loop associated with childbirth.
2. Describe the negative-feedback loop controlling body temperature.
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Activity 5: US and SI Units
This exercise will familiarize you with the US and Système Internationale d’unités (SI or
Metric) units. Scientists use the SI system because it’s much easier to do the mathematics, as
you’ll see in the next exercise.
Along with a system of base units for length, mass, time, volume and amount of matter, the
SI includes multipliers for powers of 10. These prefixes and multipliers are listed in the table
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Activity 5: US and SI Units (continued)
Questions to ponder about the US system:
1. How many inches in a foot? How many feet in a yard? How many feet in a mile?
2. How many yards in a mile? How many inches in a mile?
3. How many weight ounces in a pound?
4. How many liquid ounces in a cup? In a pint? In a quart? A gallon?
Note: Conveniently, for water, a weight ounce is the same as a liquid ounce.
There is an old expression, ―A pint’s a pound the world around,‖ that helps
students remember this. Sixteen liquid ounces – a pint – is equal to sixteen
weight ounces – a pound.
5. Given the above information, how much does a gallon of water weigh?
Now, consider the SI units. We’ll ask the a similar series of questions, using the closest
measurements:
6. How many centimeters in a decimeter? How many decimeters in a meter? How
many meters in a kilometer? How many centimeters in a kilometer?
7. How many grams in a kilogram?
8. How many milliliters in a deciliter? How many deciliters in a liter?
9. If an image file is 100 Kbytes (KB), and your jump drive is 1 GB, how many image
files can you store on that jump drive?
Notice that when you use the metric system (SI), that you only need to move the decimal
place around. That’s all the math you need.
10. Water is the most common fluid. The density (weight per unit volume) of water
is set at 1, so, it’s easy to convert between weight and volume. A milliliter of water
weighs 1 gram. (A cubic centimeter, cc, is about the same as a milliliter.) How much
does a liter of water weigh in kilograms?
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Activity 6: Scientific Notation
Navigation: Internet Browser > http://www.nyu.edu/pages/mathmol/textbook/scinot.html
In this exercise, we’ll work on converting very large, and very small numbers into equivalent numbers that are easier to manage. We do this by employing a mathematical tool
called ―Scientific Notation‖.
Scientific notation is the way that scientists easily handle very large numbers or very small
numbers. For example, instead of writing 0.0000000056, we write 5.6 x 10-9. So, how does
this work? We can think of 5.6 x 10-9 as the product of two numbers: 5.6 (the digit term)
and 10-9 (the exponential term).
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Activity 6: Scientific Notation (continued)
Work the following problems to demonstrate your
understanding of scientific notation
Question 1
89 = 8.9 x 10x (not usually done)
Question 2
Express 5.43 x 10-3 as a number.
Question 3
Write in scientific notation: 24,327
Question 4
0.000061 = ___ . ___ x 10-x
Question 5
7.8 x 10-3 =
Question 6
0.32 = ___ . ___ x 10-1 (not usually done)
Question 7
3.2 x 10-4 = 0.032 x 10-x
Question 8
2.62 x 103 = 0.___ x 104
Question 9
0.000003 as an exponent =
Question 10
What is 5 x 10-9 as a decimal?
Question 11
What is 200 as an exponent?
Question 12
5 x 10-2 as a decimal is ________?
Question 13
What is 0.01 as an exponent?
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Activity 7: Significant Figures
When working medical math and chemistry problems, be aware of something called
significant figures. In short, you can’t ―create‖ a number that is more specific (accurate)
than what you have to work with.
Examples:
If you are multiplying two numbers that each have three digits (for example, 123
times 0.456), the answer from your calculator is probably 56.088. You have to limit
your number to the accuracy entered in the calculator, so the correct answer would
be 56.1 (a three digit number).
If you are multiplying a one-digit number by a three-digit number (5 times 0.987),
then your answer can only have one digit. It was the number that was less specific
(accurate). So, 5 times .987 is 5.
Basic Rules:
1. Non-zero digits are always significant (2.34, 45.6, 123,456)
2. Leading zeros are never significant. (0.1, 0.211, 0.0033, 0.0004)
3. Confined zeros are always significant (245,001, 45,067, 87,002)
List the number of significant figures for the following.
1. 56.2
2. 0.5289
3. 845.002
Are the following answers correct? If no, list the correct answer.
4. 6.3 x 5.6 = 35.28
5. 85/5.4 = 15.74074
6. 2.25/56.2 = 126
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Activity 8: US to SI Conversions (Dimensional Analysis)
Navigation: Internet Browser > http://www.chem.tamu.edu/class/fyp/mathrev/mr-da.html
In this exercise, we’ll work on converting US measurements to SI and vice-versa. To do this,
we’ll need conversion factors, numbers that tell us how to convert between units. A
general problem-solving method for these conversions is called dimensional analysis. It is
also named the factor-label method‖. With this method, the units (lb, cm, m, oz) are
treated like numbers; they can be multipled, divided, or canceled.
This one you know.
2x3x6
2x3x5
By canceling the 2’s and 3’s on top and bottom, you have a very simple problem.
The same rule can be used for units:
in x cm
in
By canceling the inches on top and bottom,
all that is left is cm.
Here are the steps:
1. Identify the given units and determine the desired units (what are you converting
to).
2. Multiply the given units by one or more conversion factors so the given units are
canceled out, leaving the desired units.
3. Do the math.
Examples:
10.0 cm to inches
10.0 cm
x
1.00 in
2.54 cm
=
3.94 in
10.0 cm to feet
10.0 cm
x
1.00 in
2.54 cm
x
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1.00 ft.
12.0 in
=
0.328 ft
Activity 8: Dimensional Analysis (continued)
Using dimensional analysis (factor-label method) convert the following:
1. 352 miles to kilometers
2. 45.6 cm to inches
3. 2.0 quarts to liters
4. 2 meters to yards
5. 25 ounces to milliliters
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