thermoregulation

Question 1

what is normal human body temperature

Answer 1

normal human body temperature = 37 degrees Celsius

Question 2

what organ is body temperature monitored and controlled by

Answer 2

the brain

the thermoregulatory centre

Question 3

what does the thermoregulatory centre contain?

Answer 3

the thermoregulatory centre contains temperature receptors which are sensitive to the temperature of the blood

Question 4

what do the temperature receptors in the skin do?

Answer 4

send electrical impulses down the sensory neurone to the thermoregulatory centre

Question 5

what happens when body temperature gets too high

due to a person exercising

Answer 5

• sweat glands release sweat onto the surface of the skin
  (the sweat then evaporates, this takes energy from the body cooling it down)
• vasodilation
  (blood vessels widen to allow more blood to the surface of the skin allowing heat to transfer out of the blood)

Question 6

what happens when body temperature gets too low

Answer 6

• vasoconstriction (less blood flows through the capillaries and to the surface of the skin so less heat is lost from the body)
• shiver
  (skeletal muscles contract - to generate energy for this muscle cells increase their rate of respiration