Question at position 13 If someone overhydrates or drinks too much water, balance can be restored in the body bythe digestive system not absorbing the water that is ingestedthe kidneys conserving sodium and other ions, producing a normal amount of urinethe digestive system excreting the excess water, producing loose or watery stoolthe kidneys excreting the excess water, producing a large volume of dilute urineClear my selection

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

The kidneys excreting the excess water, producing a large volume of dilute urine, restores osmotic balance after overhydration.

1. Relevant knowledge points and concepts
- Osmoregulation and homeostasis: body maintains plasma osmolarity within narrow limits (~275–295 mOsm/kg).
- Antidiuretic hormone (ADH, vasopressin): increases water reabsorption in the collecting duct via aquaporin insertion; low ADH reduces water reabsorption, producing dilute urine.
- Kidney function: nephrons adjust urine volume and concentration; when plasma is hypoosmotic (overhydration), kidneys excrete free water to restore balance.
- Digestive tract role: primarily absorbs water; it is not a controlled mechanism for removing excess ingested water.

2. Step-by-step reasoning
Step 1: Drinking excess water lowers plasma osmolarity and blood sodium concentration (dilutional hyponatremia risk).
Step 2: Osmoreceptors in the hypothalamus detect decreased osmolarity and suppress ADH secretion.
Step 3: With low ADH, collecting ducts become less permeable to water (fewer aquaporins), so less water is reabsorbed into blood.
Step 4: Result is a large volume of hypoosmotic (dilute) urine, eliminating the excess water and returning plasma osmolarity toward normal.

3. Calculations
- No numerical calculation required; physiologic response is qualitative: decreased ADH → increased urine volume, decreased urine osmolarity.

4. Why the correct answer is correct
This choice matches the physiological mechanism: kidneys selectively excrete excess water by producing large volumes of dilute urine under suppressed ADH, which is the primary regulated response to overhydration.

5. Why other options are incorrect
- Digestive system not absorbing ingested water: the gut normally absorbs water; there is no regulatory inhibition that prevents absorption of excess water.
- Kidneys conserving sodium and producing a normal amount of urine: while kidneys may conserve electrolytes, they must increase urine volume (not keep it normal) to remove extra water.
- Digestive system excreting excess water (diarrhea): diarrhea is pathological and not a controlled homeostatic response to overhydration.

6. Conclusion
Therefore, the correct homeostatic response is the kidneys excreting the excess water, producing a large volume of dilute urine, which matches the provided answer.

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