BRAINCAKEPositive Feedback
Positive feedback is a mechanism in which a change triggers a response that increases the change, so the variable moves even further from its starting value. The response amplifies the stimulus.
Because it pushes a variable away from the set point, positive feedback does not maintain homeostasis. It is useful when a process needs to happen quickly and be completed, and the loop is broken when the process ends.
Example: childbirth
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Key terms in this lesson
- oxytocin
- A hormone released from the posterior pituitary that causes contraction of the uterus during birth and release of milk.
More in Chemical Control
- Homeostasis
- Feedback Systems
- Negative Feedback
- Chemical Control
- Endocrine Glands
- Hormone Release System
- Pituitary Gland
- Second Messenger System
All 30 lessons in Chemical Control · All Edexcel A-level Biology topics