Hot & Cold
Biology: AQA GCSE Higher, topic 5.2.16
Thermoregulation
Our body temperature needs to be kept as close to 37°C as possible. If your body is:
Too hot
- Sweat is released from sweat glands under the skin.
- Hairs lie flat.
- Blood vessels dilate to allow more blood to enter capillaries that pass close to the skin surface (vasodilation).
Too cold
- Muscle contractions increase, causing shivering.
- Hairs stand on end.
- Blood vessels constrict to reduce blood flow in capillaries (vasoconstriction).
Test yourself on Hot & Cold
What happens to our body when it is too cold?
What is not a response of the body to being too hot?
What is not a response of the body to being too cold?
Where are the sweat glands located that release sweat when the body is too hot?
A person's hairs are standing on end and their blood vessels have constricted. What can be concluded about their body temperature?