In five pages the ways in which humans and other warm blooded creatures are able to maintain their narrow optimum range of body temperature through the utilization of complex physiological methods. Five sources are cited in the bibliography.
Name of Research Paper File: JL5_JLbodytemp.rtf
Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
In human beings, under normal circumstances the range of body temperature variation is extremely small, even though the environmental temperature may vary considerably: this is true whether the individual
is at rest or exercising. Consequently, there is a very precise physiological mechanism for the regulation of body temperature in homiotermic animals, which establishes the appropriate condition for enzymatic reactions
within the body.
The control of body temperature is carried out by a system of balancing the production of heat with the loss of heat. Most of the heat which the body
produces is originally generated in the organs, such as the liver and the heart, and is then transferred outwards through the tissues to the skin, where it dissipates. Body temperature
is controlled by the regulation centres which are located in the hypothalamus, which act as a thermostat.
The area is rich in neurons which are sensitive to either heat or cold, and which
are capable of changing their rate of fire in reaction to changes in temperature. If the blood which passes through the hypothalamus is above the correct temperature, then the heat
sensitive neurons will instigate the operation of heat loss mechanisms. If the temperature is too low, on the other hand, the reverse process is initiated and heat production mechanisms are
stimulated. Since heat is a