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So, when the surrounding temperature is higher than the skin temperature, anything that prevents adequate evaporation will cause the internal body temperature to rise. [4] During sports activities, evaporation becomes the main avenue of heat loss. [5] Humidity affects thermoregulation by limiting sweat evaporation and thus heat loss. [6]
Studies have shown that the warmth from the fires they build is enough to keep the body from fighting heat loss through shivering. [18] Inuit use well-insulated houses that are designed to transfer heat from an energy source to the living area, which means that the average indoor temperature for coastal Inuit is 10 to 20 °C (50 to 68 °F). [18]
The statement of Newton's law used in the heat transfer literature puts into mathematics the idea that the rate of heat loss of a body is proportional to the difference in temperatures between the body and its surroundings. For a temperature-independent heat transfer coefficient, the statement is:
The heat-regulating mechanisms of the body eventually become overwhelmed and unable to deal effectively with the heat, causing the body temperature to climb uncontrollably. Hyperthermia at or above about 40 °C (104 °F) is a life-threatening medical emergency that requires immediate treatment.
When heat loss exceeds heat generation, body temperature will fall. [2] Exertion increases heat production by metabolic processes, but when breathing gas is cold and dense, heat loss due to the increased volume of gas breathed to support these metabolic processes can result in a net loss of heat, even if the heat loss through the skin is minimised.
Rising body temperatures and a drop in blood pressure are where Lichfield said heat exhaustion turns into stroke, a dangerous situation where organs begin to fail and can rapidly lead to death.
Therefore, the body must ensure it can also minimize the loss of heat to around 100 watts, if it is to maintain core temperature. In short, the skin must be able to get rid of 100 watts of heat in relatively warm environments, but also ensure that it does not lose too much more than this in relatively cold environments.
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