Trace metal

High school (ages 12+)
Human Body

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/trace-metal

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the sources of intake?Dietary consumption of plants and animals, environmental exposure, and nutritional supplements
2. What is the homeostasis challenge?Maintaining a balance between essential physiological needs and potential toxicity from overexposure
3. What are trace metals and why are they important?Trace metals are tiny amounts of metal in our bodies that help enzymes work, carry oxygen, and keep cells healthy.
4. How do we get trace metals into our bodies?We get them mainly from eating plants and animals that have absorbed metals from the soil, and sometimes from water or air.

Trace Elements: Chemical elements required by living organisms in minute quantities for proper growth and metabolism.
Cofactor: A non-protein chemical compound or metallic ion that is bound to a protein and is required for the protein's biological activity.
Homeostasis: The tendency of a system, especially biological, to maintain internal stability in spite of external conditions.
Bioavailability: The proportion of a nutrient or substance that is absorbed and utilized by the body.