Final answer:
Excretion is the process of removing wastes and excess water from the body, involving organs like the kidneys, liver, skin, lungs, and large intestine, each contributing to the maintenance of homeostasis.
Step-by-step explanation:
Excretion in the Human Body
Excretion is the process of removing wastes and excess water from the body. It is a critical function for maintaining homeostasis within an organism. In humans, the excretory system is composed of several organs that play distinct roles in the elimination of waste. The kidneys are the primary organs of excretion, responsible for filtering blood and generating urine, which carries numerous waste products such as urea and uric acid out of the body.
Besides the kidneys, the liver is significant for breaking down toxic substances and excreting waste products such as bilirubin into bile, which is then passed into the intestines. The skin aids in excretion through sweating, which helps eliminate excess water and salts, plus a small amount of urea. The lungs remove gaseous wastes, predominantly carbon dioxide, produced during metabolic processes within cells.
The large intestine’s role in excretion involves the ejection of solid waste from digested food and the collection of non-digestible matter to be removed from the body. All these organs contribute to the effective removal of waste products, helping to prevent the buildup of harmful substances, ensuring cells function properly, and protecting the health and well-being of the individual.