Regulating Temperature

• What is the role of the thermoregulatory centre and where is it found?

  • Regulating body temperature
  • Found in brain
• What happens if body temperature is too high

  • Sweat glands produce sweat - Evaporates from skins surface resulting in more energy transfer
  • Vasodilation- blood flows closer to skin surface meaning increased energy transfer from the body
• What happens if body temperature is too low?

  • Sweating stops
  • Skeletal muscles contract rapidly (shivering) to generate heat from respiration
  • Hairs stand to create an insulating layer of air and trap heat
  • Vasoconstriction means blood doesn't flow as close to skins surface so less heat loss
• Where are the temperature receptors in the body?

  • Thermoregulatory centre (receptors monitor temp of blood)
  • Skin (sends impulses to thermoregulatory centre)
• Why is too high of a body temperature a problem?

  • High temp can denature enzymes which slows the rate of reaction in the body
  • Essential reactions like respiration can't happen
• Why is too low of a body temp a problem?

  • Substrates have less kinetic energy so can't bind to enzymes and catalyse chemical reactions
  • This lowers rate of reaction in body and essential reactions like respiration can't happen