Question

activity b:
controlling your body temperature
get the gizmo ready:

• click reset
• turn off automatic sweating

question: how well can you maintain constant internal conditions for the runner?

1. observe: the homeostasis gizmo allows you to control clothing, exercise, sweat, food, and drink. use the gizmo to explore what happens when things go wrong.

a. what is it called when body temperature goes below 30°c?
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b. what is it called when body temperature goes above 41°c?
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c. what is it called when you dont drink enough water?
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1. challenge: click reset. then click play. try to maintain a constant body temperature as the air temperature goes up and down. every hour, click pause and record the data asked for in the table below. (click reset and try this more than once if you like.)
2. analyze: look at your data.

a. how good were you at thermoregulation?
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b. what did you do to cool down when it was hot?
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c. what did you do to warm up when it was cold?
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Explanation:

1.

• A. Hypothermia is the condition when body temperature drops below 30°C.
• B. Hyperthermia (or heatstroke in extreme cases) occurs when body temperature goes above 41°C.
• C. Dehydration is what happens when you don't drink enough water.

2.

• A. Thermoregulation ability can be evaluated by how closely the body temperature was maintained near the normal range (around 37°C) despite air - temperature changes.
• B. To cool down when hot, one might increase sweating (if allowed in the Gizmo), remove clothing, and decrease exercise intensity.
• C. To warm up when cold, one could add clothing, increase exercise (to generate more heat through metabolism), and reduce sweating.

Answer:

1.

• A. Hypothermia
• B. Hyperthermia (or heatstroke)
• C. Dehydration

2.

• A. Varies depending on data (e.g., "I was good as body temp stayed close to 37°C" or "Not good as body temp fluctuated a lot")
• B. Increased sweating (if enabled), removed clothing, decreased exercise
• C. Added clothing, increased exercise, reduced sweating