Although our body has a normal temperature of 97 degrees, why would 97 degree water feel too hot for us?

Question

Thanks for the answer!

Answer 1

Different parts of your body have different temperatures. Your temperature inside is closer to 103 (core body temperature), your mouth where you stick a thermometer is about 98.7, but your skin can be quite a bit colder (skin temp can vary quite a bit).

So 98.7 water would feel hot, because your skin needs to cooler than that to maintain the desired temperature inside (your body is always generating heat - you would overheat if you couldn't get rid of the excess!)). If you are working out in a swimming pool, then your body is generating a lot more heat that you need to get rid of, and water at about 68 degrees feels great!

Also, water can conduct heat away from the body much more efficiently than air can, so being submersed in water that is too cold will drop your body temperature more quickly than being in air of the same temperature.

Answer 2

Body-temperature water is not too hot for a bath, but our bodies depend on being able to transfer our waste heat to the environment in order to regulate our temperature.

Answer 3

Because we're constantly burning calories- & thus constantly giving off heat. If that heat has no where to "go" on the outside- it quickly "backs up" & we think it's kinda hot. THAT's why a 72 degree room feels comfortable to most of us: We're getting rid of our body heat at roughly the SAME rate as we're creating it. :)

Answer 4

Body temp is 98.4°F
Water at the same temp would not feel too hot.
If the water temp. is 97°C you'd cook not just feel too hot.

Answer 5

one is fahrenheit one is celsius ,u aint that smart dude,97 f is 37celsius,its the same