Question

During cold weather, blood vessels located in the dermis undergo vasoconstriction restricting blood flow into the skin. This produces additional body heat by routing blood to what effector organ?

1) smooth muscle
2) skeletal muscle
3) cardiac muscle
4) brain

Answer 1

In response to cold weather, vasoconstriction occurs and diverts blood to the core, with 2) skeletal muscles being the primary effector organ for generating additional heat. This helps conserve body heat by minimizing heat loss.

Step-by-step explanation:

During cold weather, vasoconstriction of blood vessels in the dermis restricts blood flow to the skin's surface. Instead, blood flow is prioritized to the core of the body to conserve heat. The resultant warmth is generated for critical effector organs.

The effector organ that would produce additional body heat by routing blood to it during vasoconstriction in cold weather is primarily skeletal muscle. While the other organs listed - smooth muscle, cardiac muscle, and the brain - do receive blood, they are not the primary source for generating additional body heat through shivering or increased metabolism during cold exposure.

It's important to note that this process of vasoconstriction conserves heat by minimizing heat loss, rather than actively producing it. The blood vessels in the brain largely do not respond to cold weather regulatory stimuli due to a lack of appropriate receptors, ensuring the flow of blood to the brain remains largely unchanged. Therefore, vasoconstriction in the skin diverts blood away from the skin and towards the skeletal muscles which can generate heat through shivering.