The body's ability to maintain internal conditions is called ___.

• A. Homeostasis
• B. Metabolism
• C. Growth
• D. Digestion

Answer: (A)

Keeping the body's internal environment stable is the idea of homeostasis. It means the body works to keep variables like temperature, pH, glucose levels, and fluid balance within narrow limits, even when the outside world changes. This balance is managed mainly through feedback systems—often called negative feedback—where a change triggers responses that counteract it. For example, when you overheat, you sweat and blood vessels near the skin widen to cool you down; when you’re cold, muscles may tremble to generate heat.

Other terms describe broader processes: metabolism is the entire set of chemical reactions in the body, growth is about getting larger or more complex, and digestion is breaking down food. While important for life, they don’t specifically capture the regulation of internal conditions. So the ability described is homeostasis.