Body temperature regulation

• When cold


  The rate of the enzyme-controlled reactions in cells is too low, so they don't carry out enough respiration and cells begin to die
• Preventing cells from cooling down/reducing energy

  1. Impulses are sent from thermoreceptors in the centre to the body

  2. The blood vessels that supply skin capillaries constrict to reduce flow of blood through capillaries (vasoconstriction)

  3. Shivering - skeletal muscles contract and relax rapidly, causing heat to be generated from exothermic reactions
• Your core body temperature relies on the thermoregulatory centre in the hypothalamus of your brain, which contains receptors sensitive to temperature changes in the blood flowing through the brain
• The temperature receptors in the skin send impulses to the thermoregulating centre, providing information about skin temperature
• When core body temperature rises

  Impulses are sent from the thermoregulatory centre to the body so energy is transferred to the surroundings to cool it down
• Cooling down the body

  1. The blood vessels that supply skin capillaries dilate (vasodilation), allowing more blood to flow through the capillaries

  2. More sweat is produced from glands, cooling the body as water evaporates from the skin