The Skin's Role in Human Thermoregulation and Comfort - Assignment Example

Q Ans. The porous structure of the skin plays a key role in temperature regulation. There are glands in the skin which when warmed up secrete sweat. The energy consumed in this process is drawn from the heat contained in the body. Loss of the heat results in temperature regulation of the body. In addition to the pores, the hairs present on the surface of skin also play a role in temperature regulation. The erector muscles present at the hair follicles’ base help erect the hairs, thus making them entrap air.

As the body generates heat, this layer of air which is essentially an insulating medium serves to keep the heat from escaping the body, thus keeping the body warm. The role of hairs can be estimated from the fact that one can feel the hairs standing up on the ends when one feels cold. Q. 2. Ans.Smell of a doctor’s office and that of a cooking turkey can both elicit an emotional response by the individual who has had some kind of experience with them in the past. A traumatic experience at the doctor’s office makes the brain revive the bad memories thus causing stimulation of the hormones that produce the sensation of anxiety or fear.

Similarly, smelling turkey on a Thanksgiving occasion rejuvenates the memories when one was with one’s family and the whole family celebrated the occasion eating it. The brain stores the past information. Response of the cells in the nose causes the brain to link the smell to the past information of the event it has stored, thus causing one to become emotional.