Final answer:
Homeostasis is the body's ability to maintain a stable internal environment. Vomiting after excessive alcohol intake is an example of homeostasis, as it expels toxins to restore balance. This process typically involves negative feedback mechanisms that counter deviations from a set point.
Step-by-step explanation:
Homeostasis refers to the maintenance of a relatively stable internal state in an organism, despite changes in the external environment. An example of homeostasis is the act of vomiting after ingesting too much alcohol; this is a protective reflex that acts to remove the toxin from the body to maintain internal equilibrium. In this scenario, excess alcohol is the stimulus that triggers a response to return the body to homeostasis.
Negative feedback mechanisms are crucial in maintaining homeostasis by returning the body's systems to a set point after they deviate because of an external or internal stimulus. For instance, if the blood glucose level rises after consuming a meal, the body responds by secreting insulin to lower the glucose level, keeping it within a normal range. This is in contrast to positive feedback mechanisms, which amplify the response and move the system further away from the set point, such as the increase of oxytocin during childbirth to intensify contractions.