Question

If you were to take the temperature of everyone in class, assuming no one is sick, you would find that not everyone has a temperature of 98.6��F. Which statement below best explains your findings?

a. Their temperature is no doubt higher than 98.6��F because a positive feedback loop has increased the subjects' metabolism.
b. If the subject is not at 98.6��F then he or she is in a disease state
c. The measuring instrument is not working properly; everyone has a set point of 98.6��F.
d. An error signal has occurred and a positive feedback response has put the persons in question out of the normal range of function.
e. Most regulated variables, such as temperature, fluctuate continuously and oscillate about the set point due to negative feedback control.

Answer 1

The temperatures of the individuals in the class vary around the set point of 98.6°F due to the body's negative feedback mechanisms in thermoregulation, ensuring temperatures stay within the normal range. These natural fluctuations do not necessarily indicate illness.

Step-by-step explanation:

The best explanation for why not everyone in class has a temperature of 98.6°F, even if no one is sick, is that most regulated variables, such as temperature, fluctuate continuously and oscillate about the set point due to negative feedback control. Our body's internal temperature can vary within a normal range, which for adults is approximately 36.5 to 37.5°C (97.7 to 99.5°F). The body's thermoregulation process, a form of negative feedback, constantly adjusts to maintain this temperature range despite external changes.

Human body temperature can be slightly lower or higher than the average set point due to various factors including metabolic rate, time of day, and individual physiological differences. Thermoregulation ensures that any deviation from the set point is corrected by physiological responses that bring the temperature back towards the normal range. This is why a person's temperature will not always be exactly 98.6°F but can normally fluctuate within a safe range without indicating illness.