Negative Is Not Bad

You'll learnwhat negative and positive feedback share, and that only the last step tells them apart.

Two words in this topic are booby-trapped. Negative feedback does not mean harmful and positive feedback does not mean helpful — the words name a direction, not a verdict. Same five parts, opposite last step. Ten short steps; press Next for each one.

AP BIOLOGY · 10 STEPS · 6 QUICK CHECKS · NEGATIVE = OPPOSES THE CHANGE · POSITIVE = AMPLIFIES IT · v5

feedback · set point · loop

Before you start

What you're looking at

A five-part loop drawn in order — stimulus, sensor, control centre, effector, response — with a return arc closing it.

The question

If both feedback types share the same five parts, what actually makes one negative and one positive?

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