5.2 The human nervous system

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Question 24
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An investigation was carried out to study the effect of drinking a warm beverage on the human body's thermoregulatory system. The participant sat in a room kept at a constant temperature of 22∘C22^\circ\text{C}22∘C. After 151515 minutes of rest, they drank 400 cm3400\text{ cm}^3400 cm3 of warm water at 50∘C50^\circ\text{C}50∘C. Their internal body temperature near the brain and their rate of sweating were monitored over a 606060-minute period. The results showed:

  • From 000 to 151515 minutes, the internal body temperature remained constant at 37.1∘C37.1^\circ\text{C}37.1∘C, and the rate of sweating was stable at a baseline level of 0.5 arbitrary units (a.u.)0.5\text{ arbitrary units (a.u.)}0.5 arbitrary units (a.u.).
  • Shortly after consuming the drink at minute 151515, the internal body temperature increased, reaching a peak of 37.5∘C37.5^\circ\text{C}37.5∘C at minute 252525, before returning to 37.1∘C37.1^\circ\text{C}37.1∘C by minute 454545.
  • The rate of sweating increased from 0.5 a.u.0.5\text{ a.u.}0.5 a.u. to a peak of 4.5 a.u.4.5\text{ a.u.}4.5 a.u. at minute 282828, before gradually returning to its baseline.

Questions:

a.

State why it is important that the participant remained seated and inactive throughout the entire 606060 minutes of the investigation.

[1]
b.

Explain why the internal temperature measured near the brain increased shortly after drinking the warm water.

[2]
c.

Explain how the change in the rate of sweating between 151515 minutes and 282828 minutes helps to return the internal body temperature back to its normal level.

[2]

5.2 The human nervous system Questions

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