Thermoregulation

This lesson covers:

  1. What the term 'thermoregulation' means 
  2. How the thermoregulatory centre controls our temperature 
  3. How we warm the body by shivering, raising body hairs, and vasoconstriction 
  4. How we cool the body by sweating, lowering body hairs, and vasodilation

Which word refers to the control of our internal body temperature?

Deamination

Thermoregulation 

Specialisation

Phagocytosis

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Illustration of a balance scale with fire and ice representing thermoregulation.

The human body has to be kept around which temperature? 

33°C

35°C

37°C

39°C

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Diagram showing feedback mechanisms involved in thermoregulation.

What type of feedback is involved in thermoregulation?

Inverse feedback

Positive feedback

Negative feedback

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Why do we have to maintain our body temperature at 37°C?

It's the optimum temperature for digestion

It's the optimum temperature for enzymes to function

It prevents pathogens from surviving

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Where in the body is the thermoregulatory centre located?

Spinal cord

Skin

Brain

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What is the role of receptors in the body? 

To detect changes in conditions 

To carry out responses

To coordinate negative feedback

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Temperature receptors are found throughout the body. 


Where are the two main places they're found?

Skin

Blood vessels

Spinal cord

Liver

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Which of the methods below serve to warm the body up?

(Select all that apply)

Dilate blood vessels near the skin

Constrict blood vessels near the skin

Relax erector muscles and lower body hairs

Shivering

Contract erector muscles and raise body hairs

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Is information about skin temperature sent to the brain by the nervous system, or endocrine system?

Nervous

Endocrine

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Explain how shivering warms the body.

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brain / skin / hairs / oils / blood / air


To minimise heat loss we contract erector muscles in the , which raises our . This traps a layer of insulating and so means that less heat energy is lost.

skin
hairs
air

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Which of the methods below help cool us down?

(Select all that apply)

Sweating

Constrict blood vessels near the skin

Relax erector muscles and lower body hairs

Contract erector muscles and raise body hairs

Dilate blood vessels near the skin

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What is vasodilation?

Blood vessels near the skin become wider, increasing the flow of blood in the skin capillaries

Blood vessels near the skin become wider, decreasing the flow of blood in the skin capillaries

Blood vessels near the skin become narrow, decreasing the flow of blood in the skin capillaries

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Illustration of a person sweating to demonstrate thermoregulation.

How does sweat keep us cool?

It washes the warm oils away from our skin

As sweat evaporates it removes heat energy from the skin

Sweat is cool so it cools us down

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