What term describes an organism's ability to maintain stable conditions in its body?

The term that describes an organism's ability to maintain stable internal conditions, such as temperature and pH, is homeostasis. This process allows organisms to regulate their internal environment despite external changes. For example, humans maintain a constant body temperature of approximately 37 degrees Celsius, even when the external temperature fluctuates. Homeostasis is critical for the survival of organisms, enabling them to function optimally in a variety of environments.

Adaptation refers to the long-term changes in a species that enhance its ability to survive in its environment, while metabolism is the sum of all chemical reactions that occur within an organism to maintain life, including energy production and consumption. Evolution is a broader concept that describes changes in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations. Homeostasis is specifically about the internal stability of an individual organism, making it the precise term for this concept.