Chapter 3, Problem 135P

The human body is adaptable to extreme climatic conditions and keeps the body core and skin temperatures within the comfort zone by regulating the metabolic heat generation rate. For example. in extreme cold conditions, the human body will maintain the body temperature by increasing metabolic heat generation, while in very hot conditions, the body will sweat and release heat. To understand this effect of ambient conditions on the human body, repeat Example 3-14 in the text and consider a case where climatic conditions change from -20°C and 20°C. For this change in ambient air temperature, calculate the metabolic heat generation rate required with skin/fat thicknesses of 0.0075, 0.005, and 0.0025 m to maintain the skin temperature at page 238 34°C. Assume that in spite of the change in ambient air temperature. the perspiration rate remains constant at $0.0005s^{-}1$. Plot a graph of metabolic heat generation rate against the ambient temperature with temperature increments of 5°C.