ClassX Video Lessons Why does 98 degrees feel hot if that’s your body temperature? – Big Questions – (Ep. 32)
Hi there! I’m Craig, and today we’re diving into a curious question: Why does 98 degrees Fahrenheit feel hot to us, even though our bodies are around that temperature? Let’s explore this interesting topic together!
Our bodies have an average internal temperature of about 98 degrees Fahrenheit, or 37 degrees Celsius. This temperature can change a bit, but our bodies work hard to keep it steady through a process called thermal regulation. Even if it’s cold outside, our bodies can maintain this temperature.
Some creatures, unlike us, are thermoconforming, which means their body temperature changes with their surroundings. But for us, our organs like the liver, brain, and heart are always producing heat. To keep our temperature at 98 degrees, we need to get rid of extra heat. We do this by breathing out warm air, moving blood closer to the skin, and sweating.
The perfect outside temperature for our bodies to feel comfortable is around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. When it’s hotter, like 98 degrees, our bodies struggle to release the heat we’re constantly generating. Sweating is our main way to cool down. However, when the air is already warm, the other methods of cooling, like moving blood to the skin, can make us feel even hotter.
When our bodies can’t cool down as easily, we sweat more. This process is called evaporative cooling. Sweat needs to evaporate to cool us down, but if it’s humid, the sweat takes longer to evaporate, making us feel even hotter.
So, even though our body temperature is around 98 degrees, when the outside temperature matches it, we feel hot because our bodies can’t cool down as effectively. It’s all about how our bodies manage heat and the environment around us.
Thanks for joining me on this exploration! If you have more big questions, feel free to share them. See you next time!
Conduct a simple experiment to understand how your body reacts to different temperatures. Fill three bowls with water: one with cold water, one with warm water, and one with room temperature water. Place one hand in the cold water and the other in the warm water for a minute, then place both hands in the room temperature water. Observe how your perception of temperature changes and discuss why this happens.
Imagine you are a part of the body’s thermoregulation system. Create a short skit or role-play where you act out how the body responds to a hot environment. Include roles for organs like the brain, skin, and sweat glands, and demonstrate how they work together to maintain a stable body temperature.
Using materials like paper, cardboard, and tape, design a simple device that could help cool the body in a hot environment. Think about how your device could mimic the body’s natural cooling processes, such as sweating or moving blood to the skin. Present your design to the class and explain how it works.
Create a quiz with questions about body temperature regulation and why 98 degrees feels hot. Use online tools or paper to make it interactive. Test your classmates’ knowledge and discuss the answers together to reinforce what you’ve learned.
Research how different animals regulate their body temperature. Choose an animal that is a thermoconformer and one that is a thermoregulator. Prepare a short presentation comparing their methods of temperature regulation and share it with the class.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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Hi, I’m Craig. My average body temperature is 99 degrees Fahrenheit because I’m warm, and this is Mental Floss on YouTube. Today, I’m going to answer Grace F’s big question: Why does 98 degrees Fahrenheit feel hot to us, even though our bodies are around that temperature? Let’s get started!
First, let’s talk a little about what body temperature is. As Grace mentioned, the average internal temperature of a human body is 98 degrees Fahrenheit, or 37 degrees Celsius, though it fluctuates. Our bodies maintain this temperature thanks to thermal regulation. Even if you’re in a cold environment, we can still keep our body temperature stable.
Interestingly, some other organisms are thermoconforming, which means they take on the temperature of their environment. A big part of how thermal regulation works is that our bodies are constantly producing heat from our organs, like the liver, brain, and heart. To keep our bodies at 98 degrees, we consistently get rid of excess heat through a few different methods: exhaling warm air, circulating blood near the skin’s surface, and sweating.
The ideal outside temperature for our bodies to function properly is around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. So, when it’s hot outside, like 98 degrees, and our body can’t release the heat it’s generating, it becomes a problem. Sweating is the primary function that helps our body cool down. The other two methods can actually make us feel hotter because we’re trying to release heat into already warm air.
When our body is unable to cool itself as efficiently as we’re used to, we sweat, which helps cool us down. The technical term for this is evaporative cooling. High humidity makes it feel even worse because it requires sweat on our skin to absorb more heat before it can evaporate.
Thanks for watching Mental Floss on YouTube, which is made with the help of many dedicated individuals. If you have a big question of your own that you’d like answered, leave it below in the comments. See you next week!
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Let me know if you need any further modifications!
Temperature – The measure of how hot or cold something is, often related to the energy of particles in a substance. – The temperature of the human body is typically around 37 degrees Celsius.
Body – The physical structure of a living organism, including all its organs and systems. – The human body has various systems that work together to maintain health.
Heat – A form of energy that is transferred between objects with different temperatures. – When you exercise, your body generates heat, which can make you feel warmer.
Sweating – The process by which the body releases moisture through the skin to help cool down. – Sweating is a natural way for the body to regulate its temperature during hot weather.
Cooling – The process of lowering temperature, often by removing heat. – The cooling effect of a fan helps to reduce the temperature in a room.
Evaporative – Relating to the process of a liquid turning into vapor, often used to describe cooling mechanisms. – Evaporative cooling occurs when sweat evaporates from the skin, helping to cool the body.
Regulation – The control or maintenance of a process or function within an organism. – Temperature regulation is important for keeping the body’s internal environment stable.
Creatures – Living organisms, especially animals. – Many creatures have adapted to survive in extreme temperatures.
Organs – Parts of an organism that perform specific functions, such as the heart or lungs. – The heart and lungs are vital organs that work together to circulate blood and oxygen throughout the body.
Humidity – The amount of water vapor present in the air. – High humidity can make it feel hotter because it slows down the evaporation of sweat from the skin.
