Mechanisms
of Heat Gain
and Loss
Maintaining a constant temperature requires the body to constantly seek a balance. A tightrope walk on the thin wire of 37 degrees Celsius.
Maintaining a constant temperature requires the body to constantly seek a balance. A tightrope walk on the thin wire of 37 degrees Celsius.
Conduction
CONDUCTION is the exchange of heat between two bodies in contact, without one moving away from the other.
You can see an example of this in action when a seat stays warm after you have sat on it for a while.
Radiation
Radiation is the exchange of heat in the form of infrared rays between the human body and elements around it with a different temperature.
It is through RADIATION that the body heats itself by absorbing rays of sunshine. It is also through RADIATION that it loses heat by radiating it out in turn in cold conditions.
RADIATION accounts for most of the heat exchange carried out by the human body. In fact, despite being scarcely noticeable, radiation constitutes the main source of heat loss for human beings (between 40 and 60%).