Controlling Body Temperature

• What controls our body temperatures?

  Thermoregulatory Centre
• How does the thermoregulatory centre detect change in body temperature?

  By having by having receptors in the skin to detect temperature changes
• Vasodilation: When blood vessels dilate (open wider) to increase blood flow to the muscles
• Vasoconstriction: When blood vessels constrict (closes up) to reduce energy transferred by radiation through surface of the skin
• What happens when the body gets colder?

  • Vasoconstriction occurs to reduce blood flow and reduce heat loss
  • Sweat production decreases
  • Skeletal muscles contract and relax (shivering) raising body temperature due to respiration from contractions
  • Hairs on skin stands up to increase layer of insulated air to prevent heat loss
• What happens when the body gets hotter?

  • Vasodilation occurs to increase blood flow to increase heat loss
  • Sweat production increases to cool down the body as water evaporates from your skin
  • Hairs on skin lies flat to reduce layer of insulated air to increase heat loss
• What is the optimum body temperature?

  37°C