Final answer:
When a person's extremities get cold, the blood vessels constrict to reduce blood flow and maintain core body temperature. When the extremities get warm, the blood vessels dilate to release excess heat and prevent high core body temperature.
Step-by-step explanation:
How changes in temperature at a person's extremities affect the person's core body temperature
When a person's extremities, such as hands or feet, get cold, the blood vessels in those areas constrict, which reduces blood flow to the extremities. This constriction is a physiological response to protect the body's core temperature. As a result, the body redistributes warm blood from the extremities to the core, thereby maintaining the core body temperature.
Conversely, when a person's extremities get warm, the blood vessels dilate, allowing increased blood flow to the extremities. This helps dissipate excess heat stored in the body and prevents the core body temperature from rising too high. This process is known as vasodilation.
Overall, the changes in temperature at a person's extremities play a crucial role in temperature regulation and maintaining the core body temperature within a narrow range necessary for optimal bodily functions.
Learn more about how changes in temperature at a person's extremities affect core body temperature