Final answer:
The primary mechanism for maintaining homeostasis is negative feedback control. It involves a stimulus, sensor, control center, and effector.
Step-by-step explanation:
The primary mechanism for maintaining homeostasis is negative feedback control. Negative feedback loops work to prevent an excessive response to a stimulus and keep a variable within the normal range.
It involves four components: a stimulus (change in internal or external environment), a sensor (receptor that detects the stimulus), a control center (brain or other control mechanism that processes information and initiates a response), and an effector (muscle or gland that acts to bring the body back to the set point).
For example, when the body becomes too warm, negative feedback mechanisms will activate. The sensor (thermoreceptors) in the skin detect the increased temperature, sending signals to the control center (hypothalamus) in the brain. The control center initiates a response, such as dilating blood vessels and activating sweat glands, to cool the body and bring it back to the normal temperature range.