Final answer:
A circadian rhythm is a 24-hour cycle that affects various bodily functions like sleep patterns, body temperature, and blood pressure, controlled by the biological clock influenced by light and dark.
Step-by-step explanation:
A circadian rhythm refers to a biological rhythm that takes place over a period of about 24 hours. These rhythms are internal cycles of biological activities that regulate various physiological processes, including sleep-wake patterns, body temperature, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels. Circadian rhythms are influenced by environmental cues, mainly light and darkness, and are controlled by an internal time-keeping mechanism called the biological clock, located at the base of the brain.
Option B describes a circadian rhythm most accurately: A cycle of bodily functions and arousal that vary on a schedule approximating a 24-hour day. Other options do not accurately describe a circadian rhythm since it is specifically tied to the 24-hour cycle linked to environmental light and dark, not monthly hormone cycles or lunar phases, nor does it imply a dysfunctional state of body systems.