Urine

Physical Characteristics:

• Color = pale yellow.
• Transparency= clear.
• Odor = only slightly aromatic.
• pH = slightly acidic, 6.0
• specific gravity (solute concentration compared to water)- 1.0 = NO solutes, > 1.0 more solutes.

Chemical Composition:

• 95% water, 5% solutes.
• Nitrogenous wastes: urea, uric acid, creatinine.
• Ions: sodium, potassium, phosphate, sulfate, calcium, magnesium, bicarbonate.

Diuretics: chemical substances that affect urine output.

• Any substance that cannot be reabsorbed.
• Substances that exceed the ability of the renal tubules to reabsorb it.
• Substnace that inhibit sodium reabsorption.
• Alcohol inhibits the release of ADH (antidiuretic hormone).