Question
Do you sweat on a hot day? Get goosebumps when it is chilly outside? That’s your skin doing its job to maintain your body at a steady internal temperature. This is how it helps you maintain homeostasis.
When you go out into colder air, the blood vessels in your skin narrow in a process called vasoconstriction. This tightening of the vessels keeps blood from getting close to the surface of the skin where heat can be lost to the environment. Sometimes people who are cold may appear paler because there is less blood close to the skin surface to give their skin a rosy color.
The tiny muscles around the base of the hairs in the skin also contract, and this causes the small hairs on your body to stand up and form small mounds at the base known as “goose pimples.” They may look and feel a little funny, but the formation of goose pimples traps air inside the skin as an insulating layer to keep heat in. This process is even more effective in other mammals, such as rabbits, that have a denser covering of fur.
These processes reverse in hot environments. Blood vessels dilate, allowing more blood to get close to the surface of the skin so that heat can be lost to the surrounding air. This vasodilation gives the skin a flushed appearance. When the environment is hot, the tiny hairs on the skin lie flat. Sweat glands increase their production of sweat. When the liquid sweat on the surface of the skin evaporates, this helps the skin to cool.
You go outside on a chilly day without a coat or hoodie. How will your integumentary system respond to help your body maintain homeostasis? How might this response change the way you look and feel?
Write 4 simple sentences in your own words
When you go out into colder air, the blood vessels in your skin narrow in a process called vasoconstriction. This tightening of the vessels keeps blood from getting close to the surface of the skin where heat can be lost to the environment. Sometimes people who are cold may appear paler because there is less blood close to the skin surface to give their skin a rosy color.
The tiny muscles around the base of the hairs in the skin also contract, and this causes the small hairs on your body to stand up and form small mounds at the base known as “goose pimples.” They may look and feel a little funny, but the formation of goose pimples traps air inside the skin as an insulating layer to keep heat in. This process is even more effective in other mammals, such as rabbits, that have a denser covering of fur.
These processes reverse in hot environments. Blood vessels dilate, allowing more blood to get close to the surface of the skin so that heat can be lost to the surrounding air. This vasodilation gives the skin a flushed appearance. When the environment is hot, the tiny hairs on the skin lie flat. Sweat glands increase their production of sweat. When the liquid sweat on the surface of the skin evaporates, this helps the skin to cool.
You go outside on a chilly day without a coat or hoodie. How will your integumentary system respond to help your body maintain homeostasis? How might this response change the way you look and feel?
Write 4 simple sentences in your own words
Answers
GPT-4o mini
When you go outside on a chilly day without a coat, your blood vessels in the skin will narrow, which helps keep heat in. As a result, your skin may look paler because less blood is near the surface. The tiny muscles around your hair follicles will also contract, making your hairs stand up and creating goosebumps. This response keeps you warmer, but you might feel cold and notice your skin looks less rosy than usual.