A worker enters a chilled food store. The table shows the worker’s skin temperature and core body temperature at different times.
| Time in chilled store (minutes) | Skin temperature (°C) | Core body temperature (°C) |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 33.0 | 37.0 |
| 5 | 30.5 | 36.8 |
| 10 | 29.0 | 36.9 |
Later, the worker leaves the store and lifts heavy boxes in a warm loading bay. Their core body temperature rises above the normal range.
Explain how the skin and hypothalamus respond to the cooling shown in the table. In your answer, explain why core body temperature begins to recover even though skin temperature continues to fall. Predict how the responses would change when the worker’s core body temperature rises above the normal range.
78 exam-style questions on Edexcel GCSE Biology 7.3 Homeostasis and thermoregulation, covering 7.3.1 Importance of a constant internal environment, 7.3.2 Importance of homeostasis, 7.3.3a Thermoregulation via the skin and hypothalamus, and 7.3.3b Vasoconstriction and vasodilation in thermoregulation. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.