Name_____ Date_______

Urinary System and Excretion WebQuest

I. http://library.thinkquest.org/2824/Excretory.html

1. OH NO!!!! YOU HAVE FOUND YOUR SELF IN EUROPE..HOW DO YOU ASK FOR THE
BATHROOM?__________W.C.___________
2. OH NO!!!! YOU HAVE FOUND YOUR SELF IN CHINA..HOW DO YOU ASK FOR THE
BATHROOM?______cze-swo_________________
3. OH NO!!!! YOU HAVE FOUND YOUR SELF IN SPAIN..HOW DO YOU ASK FOR THE
BATHROOM?_____bano______________
4. The Excretory system is the system that _rids the body of all its
wastes_________________________.
5. TRUE or FALSE: There is water in your urine? So this means, if you were dehydrated in
the desert and needed a drink, you should drink your urine to HYDRATE YOU!
II. http://www.medindia.net/animation/anatomy_urinary.asp
1. Each kidney is about the size of a human __fist______.
2. Label the diagram.
Calyces
Renal Artery
Renal Vein
Ureter

Medulla

Cortex
[http://www.minnpost.com/client_files/alternate_images/
2635/large_KidneyDiagram.jpg]
3. The specialized unit of the kidney is called the nephron, and its function is to
produce __urine______ by filtering waste and extra fluid from the blood. (Stop at
slide 3)
III. http://www.tutorvista.com/content/biology/biology-iv/excretion/nephron-structure.php
4. The __nephron________ is the functional unit of the kidney. It consists of a twisted
_tubule_____ closed at one end and open at the other with a network of associated
blood vessels (glomerulus).
5. Each kidney has approximately _1 million___ nephrons that are about _3 cm______
in length.

Label the 4 primary regions of the nephron:

Proximal
Convoluted
Tubule

Nephron
Loop of
Henle

Distal
Convoluted
Tubule

Collecting
Duct

6. The __Bowmans_____ __Capsule_______ is a large double-walled cup that contains a

group of capillaries called the _glomerulus_________.
7. The __Loop of Henle__________ is a V-shaped segment of the nephron located in the
renal medulla. It is continuous with the distal and proximal convoluted tubules.
8. The __collecting_____ ducts receive the collecting tubules of several nephrons and
open into the renal pelvis.
IV. Go back to: http://www.medindia.net/animation/anatomy_urinary.asp (slide 4)
9. Blood enters the kidney through the renal _artery_____ and passes into the
nephron.
10.
The bulk of the filtering takes place in the _glomerulus______.
11.
The filtered wastes then travel through the tubule where the excess fluid is
converted to __urine_____.
12.
The urine reaches the renal pelvis and passes into the __ureter____.
13.
Next, it enters the urinary _bladder____ to be stored until it is released via
the _uretha_______.
14.
Finally, the filtered blood leaves the kidney through the renal ___vein_______.
V. Directions: Go to http://www.biologymad.com/resources/kidney.swf.
1. What does the renal vein do? What direction does blood flow in (toward or away
from kidney)?
It transports blood that has been balanced by the kidney. It flows away from the
kidney.
2. What does the renal artery do? What direction does blood flow in (toward or away
from the kidney)?

The renal artery carries blood into the kidney that has not yet been balanced.
3. What is the outermost part of the kidney called?
The kidney cortex
4. What does this section do?
It filters the blood and reabsorbs some substances back into the blood.
5. What is the middle of the kidney called? The pelvis
6. What does this section do?
The pelvis is where urine travels to and collects. After collecting in the pelvis it
travels to the ureter.
7. What is the innermost part of the kidney called? The medulla
8. What does this section do?
The medulla reabsorbs water into the blood in order to balance the blood
concentration.
9. Which section of the kidney does the glomerulus belong to? The nephron
10.
Which section of the kidney does the Loop of Henle belong to?
The Loop of Henle belongs to the medulla of the kidney.
11.
Click on each of the substances in the blood. Which of these substances
remains within the filtrate as waste?
Urea remains in the filtrate as waste. Water and salt both filtrate as a wastes and
remain in the blood stream.
12.
Which of the substances diffuses back into the blood?
Glucose and protein remain in the blood stream. Water and salt both filtrate as a
wastes and remain in the blood stream.
13.
Click on the Loop of Henle. Describe the movement of water and of salt in
the descending loop.
The descending loop is permeable to water and water diffuses out due to the low
water potential of the surrounding medulla tissue. Sodium also diffuses into the
loop.

14.
Describe the movement of water and salt in the ascending loop.
The ascending loop is impermeable to water, but sodium is transported out in
order to maintain a low water potential in the medulla.
VI. http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/body_basics/kidneys_urinary.html

1. Identify four different wastes produced by your body?

a. sweat
c. feces
b. carbon gas

d. urine

2. Out of these wastes produced by your body, which waste product is produced by the
kidney?___urine_________

3. At the top, right side of the page click on Body Basics: Kidney and Urinary Tract.
DRAW in the space below a picture of the Urinary tract, LABEL your picture and give a
brief description of each body part. If you move the mouse over each body part it will
give you a description.

VII. http://www.davita.com/dialysis/
click on Animation and watch How dialysis works
1. What is dialysis?
Dialysis is treatment for kidney disease. There is a special fluid with pure water that
will help filter the blood and help the body keep the substances it needs.
2. What are some benefits of dialysis?
One benefit of dialysis is that it is a painless process. It also aids people whose kidneys
do not filter the blood like they are supposed to.

Osmoregulation and Excretion Videos

1. The Kidney and the Nephron.
http://www.khanacademy.org/science/biology/human-biology/v/the-kidney-and-nephron
2. Secondary Active Transport in the Nephron
http://www.khanacademy.org/science/biology/human-biology/v/secondary-activetransport-in-the-nephron
3. Nephron Function at Handwritten Tutorials
http://handwrittentutorials.com/videos.php?id=75
4. Renal Anatomy-Kidney

http://handwrittentutorials.com/videos.php?id=72
5. Renal Anatomy-The Nephron
http://handwrittentutorials.com/videos.php?id=73