Name Date Class

Content Vocabulary LESSON 3

The Excretory System

Directions: Each of the following statements is false. Replace the underlined word(s) to make the statement true
by using a term from the list below. Write your changes on the lines provided. NOTE: You may need to change a
term to its plural form.

area bladder excretory system kidney

nephron ureter urethra urine
1. Urine is stored in a muscular sac called the ureter.

2. A bean-shaped organ called the bladder filters wastes from

the blood.

3. Urine leaves the kidneys through the urethra.

4. Some wastes exit the body in a fluid called area.

5. The organs of the digestive system regulate fluid levels

and eliminate wastes from the body.

6. The actual filtration of blood occurs within the millions of

ureters in the kidneys.

7. Urine leaves the bladder through a duct called the

excretory system.

8. Each nephron of the excretory system has a function.

48 Digestion and Excretion

Name Date Class

Lesson Outline LESSON 3

The Excretory System

A. Functions of the Excretory System
1. The collects and eliminates wastes from the body and
regulates the level of fluid in the body.
2. If body is not eliminated, it could become toxic and
damage organs.
3. The excretory system controls how much water leaves the
body through .
4. The organs of the system collect and remove
undigested solids from food.
5. The system processes, transports, collects, and removes
liquid waste from the body.
6. The system, which includes the skin, secretes excess salt
and water through sweat glands.
B. Organs of the Urinary System
1. The is a bean-shaped organ that filters wastes from
blood.
2. are networks of capillaries and tubules in the kidneys,
where filtration of blood occurs.
3. When kidneys filter blood plasma, they produce a fluid
called .
4. Urine leaves each kidney through a tube called the .
5. Both ureters drain into the . It is a muscular sac that
holds urine until the urine is .
6. Urine leaves the bladder through a tube called the .
7. The urethra contains circular muscles called that
control the release of urine.
C. Urinary Disorders
1. A urinary disorder is an illness that affects one or more
of the urinary system.
2. Common urinary disorders include kidney disease, urinary tract infection, kidney
, and bladder control problems.

Digestion and Excretion 49

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Lesson Outline continued

D. The Excretory System and Homeostasis

1. The excretory system helps maintain in two ways. It
filters wastes from the and removes wastes from the
system.
2. A hormone controlled by the causes the tubules
in the kidney to absorb more water from the blood. This helps the body
regulate .

50 Digestion and Excretion

Name Date Class

Content Practice A LESSON 3

The Excretory System

Directions: On each line, write the term from the word bank that correctly completes each sentence. Each term is
used only once.

blood excretory integumentary liquid

nephrons respiratory solids ureter
urethra urinary urine water
1. The system collects and eliminates wastes from the body.

2. The excretory system controls how much is eliminated

from the body.

3. The organs of the digestive system remove undigested ,

whereas the urinary system removes waste.

4. The system removes carbon dioxide and water vapor from

the body.

5. The system secretes excess salt and water through sweat

glands.

6. The system includes two kidneys, two ureters, the bladder,

and the urethra.

7. The kidneys remove wastes from .

8. Networks of capillaries and small tubes in the kidneys are

called .

9. When blood is filtered, is produced.

10. Urine leaves each kidney through a tube called the .

11. The bladder is an organ that holds urine until it is excreted through
the .

52 Digestion and Excretion

Name
Enrichment
Refueling with Sports Drinks
Glucose-electrolyte beverages—more
commonly known as sports drinks—were first
used by athletes to replace body fluids lost in
sweat during exercise. The popularity of these
drinks has grown steadily. Now athletes and
nonathletes alike reach for sports drinks to
quench their thirst. Manufacturers have
responded by producing sports drinks in
every shade of the rainbow. The drinks
contain a wide variety of ingredients. Which
ingredients, if any, are beneficial?
What is in a sports drink?
The ideal sports drink contains water,
carbohydrates, and electrolytes, such as
sodium, potassium, and phosphate.
Carbohydrates are complex sugars; they
make the drink taste pleasant and provide
energy. Sports drinks that contain between
4 to 8 percent carbohydrates help the body
absorb fluids in the most efficient manner.
Electrolytes such as sodium replace
salts lost through sweating. They increase
absorption of sugar and water, and help
restore the body’s volume of plasma. They
also help the body retain fluid after it is
consumed.
Water replaces fluids that are lost during
exercise. A loss of body fluid can affect the
heart’s performance and lower blood
pressure. Dehydration can occur if fluids and
salts are lost. Carbohydrates are also lost if
exercise continues for more than one hour.
Applying Critical-Thinking Skills
Directions: Answer each question or respond to each statement.
1. Infer From a health perspective, why is it important that a sports drink have a pleasant
taste?
2. Relate Which beverage best fits your level of exercise—sports drinks or water? Explain.
Digestion and Excretion
Date Class
LESSON 3
Signs of dehydration include the
following:
• Thirst
• Loss of appetite
• Lethargy
• Anxiety
• Nausea and dizziness
• Irritability
• Cramps
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Dark urine
Who needs sports drinks?
People who exercise for less than
30 minutes at a time can replace lost
body fluids with an inexpensive, readily
available alternative to sports drinks—
water. At this level of exercise, fluid
replacement is more important than
energy replacement. However, sports
drinks are excellent choices for athletes
and exercisers who need water for
hydration and carbohydrates for energy.
In the end, people make their choices
based on personal tastes. Regardless of
whether you take leisurely walks or run
marathon races, it is important to consume
adequate amounts of fluid to maintain the
proper level of fluids in your body.
59
Name Date Class

Lesson Quiz A LESSON 3

The Excretory System

Multiple Choice
Directions: On the line before each question, write the letter of the correct answer.

1. Which function is characteristic of the excretory system?

A. provides energy
B. eliminates waste
C. breaks down food
2. Which body system works with the excretory system to regulate fluid levels in
the body?
A. nervous system
B. immune system
C. reproductive system
Matching
Directions: On the line before each definition, write the letter of the term that matches it correctly. Each term is
used only once.

3. organ that removes wastes from the blood

A. bladder
4. capillaries and tubules where blood is filtered
B. kidney
5. tube through which urine leaves the kidneys
C. nephrons
6. organ that holds urine until it leaves the body
D. ureter
7. tube through which urine leaves the body
E. urethra
Digestion and Excretion

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