thermoregulation

What is thermoregulation

The control of our internal body temperature

What temperature does our body need to stay at and why

37 degrees

Because it’s the perfect temperature for enzymes to function below that temperature their activities slow done and above that temp enzymes begin to denature

How do we achieve stable temperature

We have a thermoregulatory centre in brain who do acts as a thermostat for our body to help it we have receptors which detect changes in body temperature

Where in the body are receptors that detect temp

Skin and bloodvessels

How is brain able to regulate temp

Receptors constantly sending information to the themorehulatpry system so it’s able to figure out if we are too hot or cold and does opposite (if hot sends signals to cool down)

How is body temperature controlled

The temperature of the body is kept around a constant level due to negative feedback system if it gets too high or too low the body respond to bring temperature back to optimum

Give 3 ways the body can increase its temperature.

To warm up need to conserve heat and gain more heat

To conserve heat we 3Constrict blood vessels near the skin. means less blood flows through surface so less heat energy is lost to our surroundings

Contract with erector muscles making hard stand on end to trap a small layer of insulating air so harder to loose heat

Shiver - muscles contract automatically which requires energy from respiration and the reaction it involved ends up with heat energy as waste so warms us up

What is vasoconstriction?

The constriction of blood vessels.

This means that the blood vessels get narrower. 

What is vasodilation?

Blood vessels expand

What are 3 ways to cool down

Erector muscles relax, allowing hairs to fall flat and the blood vessels expand, allowing more heat energy to Transfer to surroundings

We also produce sweat as sweat evaporates. It takes heat energy from our body away with it because it requires a lot of energy to evaporate water and we lose heat so leaves us cooler.