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Chapter 1: Problem 119

Why is the metabolic rate of women, in general, lower than that of men? What is the effect of clothing on the environmental temperature that feels comfortable?

Short Answer

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Answer: The metabolic rate of women is generally lower than that of men due to factors such as muscle mass, body size, and hormones. Men have higher muscle mass, larger body size, and higher levels of testosterone, all of which contribute to a higher metabolism. Clothing affects the comfortable environmental temperature by acting as an insulator, trapping a layer of air that warms up due to body heat. The choice of clothing can help regulate the body's temperature in different environments, with heavier layers for colder environments and lighter, breathable clothing for warmer environments.

Step by step solution

01

A metabolic rate is the rate at which an organism uses energy to maintain its bodily functions like breathing, circulation, and cell production. It is impacted by factors such as age, weight, body composition, and gender. In general, men tend to have a higher metabolic rate than women due to several reasons, which we will discuss in the next step. #Step 2: Factors Contributing to Differences in Metabolic Rate Between Men and Women#

Some factors contributing to the differences in metabolic rate between men and women include muscle mass, body size, and hormones. Men usually have a higher percentage of muscle mass and a larger overall body size, which results in greater energy expenditure. Hormones also play a significant role as men have higher levels of testosterone, which is linked to increased muscle mass and higher metabolism, while women have higher levels of estrogen, which can promote fat storage and a lower metabolism. #Step 3: Understanding the Comfortable Environmental Temperature and Clothing#
02

The comfortable environmental temperature is the temperature at which a person feels most comfortable, depending on their clothing, activity level, and personal preference. Clothing acts as an insulator, trapping a layer of air between the clothing and the skin that warms up due to the body's heat. As a result, clothing can help regulate the body's temperature in different environments. #Step 4: The Effect of Clothing on Comfortable Environmental Temperature#

The choice of clothing has a significant impact on the comfortable environmental temperature. When wearing heavier, insulating clothing layers, a person may feel comfortable in a colder environment as the clothing traps more body heat, keeping them warm. However, in warmer environments, it may be necessary to wear lighter, breathable clothing to allow for heat and moisture to escape, consequently creating a comfortable temperature. The optimal clothing choice largely depends on the individual's preferences, activity levels, and the specific environmental conditions.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

A cold bottled drink ( \(\left.m=2.5 \mathrm{~kg}, c_{p}=4200 \mathrm{~J} / \mathrm{kg} \cdot \mathrm{K}\right)\) at \(5^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\) is left on a table in a room. The average temperature of the drink is observed to rise to \(15^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\) in 30 minutes. The average rate of heat transfer to the drink is (a) \(23 \mathrm{~W}\) (b) \(29 \mathrm{~W}\) (c) \(58 \mathrm{~W}\) (d) \(88 \mathrm{~W}\) (e) \(122 \mathrm{~W}\)

Heat is lost steadily through a \(0.5-\mathrm{cm}\) thick \(2 \mathrm{~m} \times 3 \mathrm{~m}\) window glass whose thermal conductivity is \(0.7 \mathrm{~W} / \mathrm{m} \cdot \mathrm{K}\). The inner and outer surface temperatures of the glass are measured to be \(12^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\) to \(9^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\). The rate of heat loss by conduction through the glass is (a) \(420 \mathrm{~W}\) (b) \(5040 \mathrm{~W}\) (c) \(17,600 \mathrm{~W}\) (d) \(1256 \mathrm{~W}\) (e) \(2520 \mathrm{~W}\)

How does forced convection differ from natural convection?

Determine a positive real root of this equation using \(E E S\) : $$ 3.5 x^{3}-10 x^{0.5}-3 x=-4 $$

Consider a flat-plate solar collector placed on the roof of a house. The temperatures at the inner and outer surfaces of the glass cover are measured to be \(33^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\) and \(31^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\), respectively. The glass cover has a surface area of \(2.5 \mathrm{~m}^{2}\), a thickness of \(0.6 \mathrm{~cm}\), and a thermal conductivity of \(0.7 \mathrm{~W} / \mathrm{m} \cdot \mathrm{K}\). Heat is lost from the outer surface of the cover by convection and radiation with a convection heat transfer coefficient of \(10 \mathrm{~W} /\) \(\mathrm{m}^{2} \cdot \mathrm{K}\) and an ambient temperature of \(15^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\). Determine the fraction of heat lost from the glass cover by radiation.
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