Question 1: Define the term 'biological rhythm'.

Answer: A biological rhythm is a natural, regular change in biological processes that occurs in living organisms over a period of time.

Question 2: Name one example of a biological rhythm that occurs in humans.

Answer: Circadian rhythm

Question 3: Explain the role of the hypothalamus in regulating biological rhythms.

Answer: The hypothalamus is a part of the brain that helps regulate biological rhythms, such as the sleep-wake cycle, by responding to environmental cues like light and temperature.

Question 4: Describe what is meant by a circadian rhythm and give an example.

Answer: A circadian rhythm is a 24-hour cycle that regulates bodily functions such as sleep, body temperature, and hormone release. An example is the sleep-wake cycle.

Question 5: Identify two factors that can disrupt a person's biological rhythm.

Answer: Traveling across time zones (jet lag) and shift work.

Question 6: Why is maintaining a regular sleep schedule important for biological rhythms?

Answer: Maintaining a regular sleep schedule helps synchronize biological rhythms, ensuring proper functioning of the body's processes and improving overall health.

Question 7: Draw a simple diagram to show the typical pattern of a sleep cycle over a 24-hour period. Label the key parts of the cycle.

Answer: A correct sketch would show a graph with time on the x-axis and sleep depth or stages on the y-axis. The graph should depict cycles of deep sleep, REM sleep, and lighter sleep stages repeating roughly every 90 minutes across a 24-hour period.

Question 8: Describe what happens to body temperature during a typical circadian rhythm.

Answer: Body temperature rises during the day, peaks in the late afternoon, and falls during the night, reaching its lowest point in the early morning.

Question 9: Explain how exposure to light influences biological rhythms.

Answer: Light exposure helps regulate the circadian rhythm by signaling to the brain that it is daytime, which promotes wakefulness and suppresses sleep hormones like melatonin.

Question 10: Sketch a graph showing how melatonin levels change throughout the night. Indicate when melatonin levels are high and when they are low.

Answer: A correct sketch would show melatonin levels rising in the evening, peaking during the night, and decreasing towards morning.