Weather and human comfort

Question 1

What is metabolism?

Answer 1

processes that convert food to energy to sustain body’s functioning

Question 2

What happens to IR in relation to the body?

Answer 2

the body loses heat by emitting infrared energy, and along with that, the body absorbs it.

Question 3

What happens to sensible heat in relation to the body?

Answer 3

sensible heat enters and exits the body

Question 4

What happens to evaporation in relation to the body?

Answer 4

evaporation only exits the body

Question 5

What is the goal to the body?

Answer 5

maintain homeostasis

Question 6

What is homeostasis?

Answer 6

the maintaining of a constant core body temperature

Question 7

What is the average core temperature?

Answer 7

98.6 degrees F

Question 8

What does low core temperature mean?

Answer 8

hypothermia

Question 9

What does high core temperature mean?

Answer 9

hyperthermia

Question 10

Why does the skin create an insulating layer of air, and what does it result in?

Answer 10

block out the cooler air resulting in sensible heat being lost

Question 11

How can a human develop low core temperature?

Answer 11

exposure to cold environment
drug and alcohol use
improperly functioning thyroid

Question 12

What’s the body’s response to low core temperature?

Answer 12

muscle shivering to generate heat
thyroid releases hormones to increase metabolism
vasoconstriction

Question 13

What is frostbite?

Answer 13

partial freezing of exposed parts of the body, causing injury to the skin and sometimes to deeper tissues

Question 14

What causes frostbite?

Answer 14

high winds, in below-freezing air, can remove heat from exposed skin so quickly that the skin may freeze and discolor.

Question 15

What is Wind Chill Index?

Answer 15

cooling effect of any combination of temperature and wind

Question 16

What is the core temperature for Hypothermia?

Answer 16

<95 degrees F (35 degrees C)

Question 17

What if your skin is warmer than the surrounding air (wet bulb temperature)?

Answer 17

results in strong evaporation and rapid cooling of the air

Question 18

What if your skin temperature was about equal to the environment’s temperature?

Answer 18

results in reduced evaporation and slight cooling of the skin

Question 19

What if the skin’s temperature was lower than the environment’s temperature?

Answer 19

results in no evaporation from the skins, but instead, the body will gain heat from the atmosphere

Question 20

Where does high core temperature come from?

Answer 20

exposure to a hot environment
exercise
digestion
fever

Question 21

What is the body’s response to high core temperature?

Answer 21

sweating
vasodilation

Question 22

What is the consequence of the inter-relation between health and excessive heat?

Answer 22

Heat Cramps
Heat Exhaustion
Heat Stroke