Thermoregulation Flashcards
What can happen if the temperature is too hot or too cold?
chemical reaction within the body can change or stop altogether causing a breakdown of normal bodily functions
What does thermoregulation mean?
the ability of an organism to keep it’s body temperature within certain limits even if the temperature outside the body is very different
What are the two main methods of thermoregulation?
ectothermy
endothermy
What are ectotherms?
animals that rely on their environment to maintain their body temperature
Why do ectotherms rely on their environment to maintain their body temperature?
because their internal metabolic processes which derive from eating and digesting food do not generate enough heat to warm them
What happens to an ectotherm which becomes too cold?
they become slow and sluggish
Why does an ectotherm become slow and sluggish when they are too cold?
the chemical processes that allow their muscles to move have slowed down
Why do ectotherms not need to eat as regularly as endotherms?
they do not rely on food to keep them warm
What are endotherms?
animals that maintain their body temperature using internal metabolic processes
Why do endotherms have to eat regularly?
the internal metabolic processes that maintain their body temperature require a constant supply of energy which is provided by food
How does the body measure body temperature?
the hypothalamus contains receptors that are able to monitor blood temperature and also receives information from temperature receptors on the skin
How does the brain know when the body is too cold or too hot?
hypothalamus recognises the signals from these receptors and reacts when temperature is too high or too low
What is vaso-dilation?
blood vessels in the skin dilate which allows more warm blood to reach any skin surface that is in contact with the air so it can radiate heat into the environment
How does sweating cool an animal down?
sweat glands are activated wherever possible, causing sweat to be released on the surface of the skin
sweat on the skin evaporates which removes heat from the skin surface
What causes the body to shiver?
skeletal muscles are instructed to vibrate
