Final answer:
The student's sleep-wake cycle follows a circadian rhythm, which is a 24-hour internal clock that regulates cycles of sleepiness and alertness.
Step-by-step explanation:
The sleep-wake cycle follows a circadian rhythm. A circadian rhythm is a biological process that displays an endogenous, entrainable oscillation of about 24 hours. These 24-hour rhythms are driven by a circadian clock, and they have been widely observed in plants, animals, fungi, and cyanobacteria. Other examples of these rhythms include fluctuations in heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature, which are also synchronized with the Earth's day-night cycle.
The term 'circadian' comes from Latin, where 'circa' means 'around' and 'diem' means 'day'. The circadian rhythm is essentially a 24-hour internal clock that runs in the background of the brain and cycles between sleepiness and alertness at regular intervals. It's also known as your sleep/wake cycle.