List the mechanisms involved in heat production and loss by the body. (80% of marks) Define thermoneutral zone and inter-threshold range. (20% of marks)
Many candidates did not read the question carefully and misinterpreted what was being asked.
Candidates often digressed into a discussion of thermoregulation. Several candidates wrote
about body's response to cold and heat rather than mechanisms of heat production and loss as
was asked.
There was confusion between mechanisms of endogenous heat production and measures to
conserve heat. "Behaviour" only attracted marks in relation to voluntary muscle activity for heat
production. Changing clothes or seeking a warm environment does not increase heat output by
the body. Behaviour can reduce heat loss. Many candidates did not specify ambient or core body
temperature. The definitions of Thermoneutral Zone and Interthreshold Range were not clear.
Knowledge generally lacked detail and this was most evident when precise definitions were
asked.