Notes about the excretory system

1. The Excretory System
By: Sara, Palavi and Kanyinsola

2. Purpose and Parts
• Provides way for wastes to be removed from
body
• Parts include:
•Lungs (get rid of the wastes carbon dioxide and
water vapor)
•Kidney (main organ, contains nephrons which
filter waste)
•Skin (releases perspiration and has two layers,
epidermis and dermis)
• Urinary Bladder (releases waste through
urethra)

3. Why do we need this System?
• Remove wastes such as excess water and
salts, carbon dioxide and urea (a nitrogen
waste)

4. How does it work?
• Waste gases are carried by blood traveling
through the veins to the lungs
• Dead cells and sweat are removed from the body
through skin
• kidneys filter the wastes from the blood (forms
urine)
• Urine goes into ureters ( carry waste to urinary
bladder)
• Bladder stores urine until muscular contractions
force urine out of the body through urethra

5. How this system works with other
systems
•Digestive system- pathway for food
and water (without excretory
system, body would be filled with
waste = explosion)
• Respiratory system- allows oxygen
into the body and (the waste)carbon
dioxide out

6. Problems and Diseases
•Kidney/ Urologic infections- bacterial
infection in one or both kidneys
•Cystitis- inflammation of the bladder
•Urethritis- swelling and irritation
(inflammation) of urethra
• “Bed wetting”
•Kidney stones- solid mass made up of tiny
crystals
•Pyelonephritis- kidney infection
•Nephritis- inflammation of one or both
kidneys

7. Facts
•Only 40% of people smell urine
• excretes 1-1.5 liters of urine each
day
•Most humans could survive with 1/3
of a kidney
•Kidney receives and filters 1 liter of
blood per minute
•Urinary bladder can store up 470
milliliters of urine before releasing it
•Perspiration gets rid of body wastes