This diagram shows how our blood flow changes!

Want to know more about warm-blooded animals?

Follow this twitter page to learn more about warm-blooded animals!

https://twitter.com/#!/learnabtwb

All you need to know about homeostasis!

This website is the easiest way to learn about every aspect of homeostasis!

http://www.brainpop.com/health/bodysystems/homeostasis/preview.weml

Homeostasis activity!

The video on this website is aa easy and fun way to learn all about homeostasis!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/edexcel/responses_to_environment/homeostasisact.shtml

Ever wonder why our arm hairs stand up?

So, we have all noticed that when we are cold the hair on our arms stand up right? This isn't magic guys! As you have already probably guessed, it has a scientific explanation!

The hairs on our skin trap more air if they are standing up, and of course less if they are lying flat. So then can you figure out why they stand up when its cold and why they lay flat when it's hot?

In colder weather the hairs stand up, because the hair muscles contract, to trap a thicker layer of air. So it cuts down even more on heat loss.

In hot weather the hairs lie flat, because the hair muscles are now relaxing, so less air is trapped close to the skin. So more heat is lost by radiation. 

Ever wonder why we sweat or shiver?

When it's hot our blood vessels widen at our skin surface, allowing more blood to flow to the surface so more heat is lost by radiation. This is called vasodilation. Our sweat glands also produce more sweat, so that it evaporates and this cools you down!

When it's cold our blood vessels close up at our skin surface. Cutting down the flow of blood to the surface, so less heat is lost by radiation. Sweat glands stop producing sweat. And our muscles start to contract quickly, in order to produce extra heat that warms your body. This is why we shiver!

Want to learn more about vasodilation?! Check out this blog:

http://vasodilationbuzz.blogspot.com/

How does the brain control our temperature?

As we said before, the brain is sort of the "thermostat" in our bodies. Depending if you are too cold or too hot the brain sends nerve impulses to the skins, in order to react depending if it is to increase or decrease the heat loss from the body's surface.

Did you know...?

Did you know that a drop of 2ºC starts to affect the brain?
Body movements and speech start slowing down, and the person may go into coma and eventually die!
This is called hypothermia. 


The website below explains all about the first-aid treatment of hypothermia:

http://firstaid.webmd.com/hypothermia-treatment

Keeping our body temperature steady is really important!

We now know that our body temperature usually is 37ºC. But what happens if our temperature rises or lowers too much?!

High temperatures can cause dehydration, heat stroke and death if untreated.

Low temperatures can cause hypothermia and death if untreated.

A more in depth explanation about Thermoregulation

To understand thermoregulation you have to have in mind and understand homeostasis. Homeostasis is how the body keeps the conditions steady inside the body. We could say, that the brain acts as a thermostat inside the body. The brain controls, the temperature, our blood sugar, the water level, the pH of our blood and the amount of carbon dioxide.

So, thermoregulation is the way in which the brain controls the body temperature. Our best temperature for the body is 37ºC, human enzymes usually work best at 37ºC.

So, what is the actual definition of Thermoregulation?

Thermoregulation is the maintenance of a constant internal body temperature independent of the environmental temperature.

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog! This blog is about giving you helpful websites, explanations, diagrams and videos about Thermoregulation. I started this blog as a school science project, which will help my class and me study for our final exams! I hope this helps anyone else that wants to follow the blog too!