Catharsis Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 Hi... Now I just wanna confirm the belief that I have, or would like to know that I need to revise it.... Sweating and it’s ability to cool the body: From what I understand the water rises to the surface of the skin collecting electrons from (it’s) surrounding area “evaporating” hence cooling the body by taking the electrons from the surrounding area. No? Any comments suggestions and opinions will be greatly appreciated.... Thank you in advance... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdurg Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 No. That is actually as far away from the truth as possible. When it's warm out, your body sweats to bring water to the surface of your skin. As the water gets to the surface, it evaporates. Water is able to absorb a LOT of heat before its own temperature rises (high heat capcity) and so it absorbs the heat from your body and takes it with it as it evaporates. The act of evaporation causes your skin to cool down, thus helping you maintain your body temperature. It feels hotter out when it's humid because there is a lot more water vapor in the air so the water in your sweat is not able to evaporate as quickly, and thus you have a harder time cooling off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catharsis Posted September 29, 2008 Author Share Posted September 29, 2008 So the transfer of heat is having the water electrons “get” excited by surrounding electrons (not their exchange of electrons)? In other words taking away the movement (energy) of the surrounding electrons (hence reducing the surrounding electrons movement). Yes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cap'n Refsmmat Posted September 29, 2008 Share Posted September 29, 2008 Not electrons. Heat is the motion of the entire atom (to simplify a bit). So the atoms are vibrating, not the electrons. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YT2095 Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 if you were hot enough to be affecting electrons in that way, perspiring wouldn`t help you much! trust me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catharsis Posted September 30, 2008 Author Share Posted September 30, 2008 Oh - I see.... So is heat “via” electron motion a hallmark of another “form” of sorts? Or were you just “emphasizing”. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cap'n Refsmmat Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 Electron motion usually refers to things like electricity. Plasmas, which I think YT was referring to, are so hot as to have some of their electrons just fly off... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catharsis Posted October 6, 2008 Author Share Posted October 6, 2008 But wait: how can sweating cool the body by “absorbing” the motion of surrounding atoms, hence, slowing them down providing cooling. When standing around a pot of boiling water creates heat - I guess, creating motion to surrounding atoms? Any comments, suggestions and or opinions are welcome... Thank you in advance.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hermanntrude Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 But wait: how can sweating cool the body by “absorbing” the motion of surrounding atoms, hence, slowing them down providing cooling. When standing around a pot of boiling water creates heat - I guess, creating motion to surrounding atoms? Any comments, suggestions and or opinions are welcome... Thank you in advance.... boiling is an exothermic process, in other words, the water loses heat during the rapid evaporation of steam. This is why a pot of boiling water will freeze quicker than a pot of water at room temperature when you put them both outside during winter. It's also why can happen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big314mp Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 boiling is an exothermic process, in other words, the water loses heat during the rapid evaporation of steam. This is why a pot of boiling water will freeze quicker than a pot of water at room temperature when you put them both outside during winter. It's also why can happen I don't see how this works, as the hot water must become cold water before it freezes, right? Basically: hot water -> cold water -> ice vs. cold water -> ice The cold water just has to freeze, whereas the hot water must first cool down then freeze . Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catharsis Posted October 7, 2008 Author Share Posted October 7, 2008 Yea - like wow..... I get it now - it’s the air that provides the cooling - the sweat itself doesn't. As a matter of fact if you had no way of removing the sweat and it stayed on the body it would be uncomfortable (like during high humidity). Yea - I don’t know what I was thinking (such a brain fart) it seems so obvious now... Its all this having to “switch” between Micro and Macro (it seems) a lot of understanding is lost; at least for me... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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