Renal System

The renal system, also known as the urinary system, consists of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. It plays a crucial role in maintaining the body's internal environment by regulating the balance of water and electrolytes, removing waste products, and controlling blood pressure.

Kidneys

The kidneys are bean-shaped organs located on each side of the spine, just below the rib cage. They are responsible for filtering the blood to remove waste products and excess substances, such as electrolytes and water, to form urine.

Nephron

The nephron is the functional unit of the kidney and is responsible for the filtration, reabsorption, and secretion processes that occur within the kidney to produce urine.

Ureters

The ureters are narrow tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder, using peristaltic contractions to propel the urine forward.

Bladder

The bladder is a hollow, muscular organ that stores urine until it is expelled from the body through the urethra.

Urethra

The urethra is the tube through which urine is expelled from the bladder to the outside of the body.

Functions of the Renal System

Filtration: The kidneys filter waste products and excess substances from the blood to form urine.
Reabsorption: Essential substances, such as water, glucose, and electrolytes, are reabsorbed from the filtrate back into the bloodstream.
Secretion: Certain substances, such as hydrogen ions and drugs, are actively secreted into the filtrate to be excreted from the body.
Regulation of blood pressure: The kidneys play a key role in regulating blood pressure through the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system.
Production of hormones: The kidneys produce hormones, such as erythropoietin and calcitriol, which are important for red blood cell production and calcium metabolism, respectively.

Common Renal System Disorders

Some common disorders of the renal system include:

Chronic kidney disease
Urinary tract infections
Kidney stones
Polycystic kidney disease
Acute kidney injury
Glomerulonephritis

Study Guide

When studying the renal system, it is important to understand the structure and function of the kidneys, nephron, ureters, bladder, and urethra. Additionally, familiarize yourself with the processes of filtration, reabsorption, and secretion that occur within the nephron. Pay attention to the regulation of blood pressure and the production of hormones by the kidneys. Lastly, be able to identify and understand common disorders of the renal system and their implications for overall health.

◂Chemistry Worksheets and Study Guides High School. The Science of Chemistry

Worksheet/Answer key

The Science of Chemistry

Worksheet/Answer key

The Science of Chemistry

Worksheet/Answer key

The Science of Chemistry

The resources above cover the following skills:

Nature of Science

The Practice of Science - A: Scientific inquiry is a multifaceted activity; The processes of science include the formulation of scientifically investigable questions, construction of investigations into those questions, the collection of appropriate data, the evaluation of the meaning of those data, and the communication of this evaluation. B: The processes of science frequently do not correspond to the traditional portrayal of ''the scientific method.'' C: Scientific argumentation is a necessary part of scientific inquiry and plays an important role in the generation and validation of scientific knowledge. D: Scientific knowledge is based on observation and inference; it is important to recognize that these are very different things. Not only does science require creativity in its methods and processes, but also in its questions and explanations.

Define a problem based on a specific body of knowledge, for example: biology, chemistry, physics, and earth/space science, and do the following:

Use tools to gather, analyze, and interpret data (this includes the use of measurement in metric and other systems, and also the generation and interpretation of graphical representations of data, including data tables and graphs)