Why does the human body need to maintain a temperture of 98 degrees?
372891
98 degrees F is the temperature at which most(if not all) of the of the enzymes in the human body work most efficiently. The body raises temperature as a response to pathogens as a way of creating an environment that is unsuitable for the pathogen, and hopefully destroying it and ridding the body of it.
733001
You have it backward.  The temperature is dependent on some function of time not the other way around.
44447
body temperature is 98.6 F when you enter a cold environment your body has to work harder to keep it at that temperature otherwise it would drop to the temperature of the room.if the environment is sufficiently cold you body has to work so hard to keep it at 98F that it cannot keep you awake and warm at the same time.the effect is similar to feeling tired after eating a heavy meal
754958
The human body is constantly generating heat- unless its not alive.  Our digestion, muscle movements, and regular metabolism create heat.  We normally give up that heat to the atmosphere around us- or warm up the mattress and blanket if we're not out in the atmosphere.  When our body temperature and atmospheric temperature are the same, the heat will not flow as easily as when there is a large temperature difference.  Most humans are comfortable at 72 degrees F as that seems to be "equilibrium" for giving up the right amount of heat without making us feel cold.
1046294
Exercise involves lots of aerobic respiration, which is WORK, esp as all the muscles are contracting=WORKING.  98.6F is an approximate temp. we do NOT stay there all the time and our temp changes all day depending what we are doing.  In fact in females who are not on the pill or other hormones, the body temp fluctuates all during the month due to the different hormones in the blood (say 96 to 99 deg F) , but 98.6F is "normal" homeostasis body temp for the "sleeping-idle person...we are close to homeostasis at this temp, but during exercise, the body temp will naturally go up, but the body wants to cool you off so you don't FRY-COOK-DENATURE all your metabolic enzymes and go into HYPERTHERMIA.  If you are in good shape you may be able to cool off better than others!\n\nThis cell respiration process during exercise produces lots of ATP and body-muscle heat, which is lost as well. Body needs to cool off from doing all this WORK!  Skin can help us with thermo-regulation in several ways.  When we sweat, the moisure of sweat plus the heat helps reduce body temp by evaporative cooling.  Also,when we get red-overheated,the blood goes to perpheral circulation in skin to bring blood-heat to the surface to be lost by convection with the air currents.  Heat can also leave skin by radiation too.  You can feel heat coming off red sun burned or fevered people.
627632
Metabolic rate, vaso constriction, vaso dilation, sweating, shivering, goosebumps, water retention....these all are used to regulate body temperature. The process is controled by part of your brain at the back - the thymus (i think its called the thymus, but im not a physiologist!). Blood temperature is monitered and the list above varried.
968667
98.6 is the average temperature.  But can vary between 96-100.3
959010
Listen...you have a serious problem on your hands.  98.666 is the temperature of the beast.  I give you 98.666 days to live.  By the way, get to a church and sprinkle some holy water on yourself quick before the devil realizes what's going on.  Trust me...this is serious.
738341
Because we lose most of that heat through our heads and it is spread out over a large area, but touching the tip of your finger to a 98.6 degree skillett is concentrating that heat all on one small place.
669582
The body regulates our internal temperature in reference to an outside source (in this case the warm water). Your blood vessels going to your extremities are dilated, you sweat slightly more, and in some cases metabolism decreases because it produces heat. \n\nBy the way, the water does cool when it comes in contact with our body. The first thing that happens is it evaporates, because it uses the heat from our body to go from a liquid to a gas (evaporation). Then, it condenses (goes from gas to a liquid) back down to the bathtub because the air temperature is cooler than our body.
977303
maybe what your teacher is trying to say here is the body temperature. now search for that answer. it's your homework.
860891
If you are in good health, are staying hydrated and are not outside in excessive temperatures, your body is supposed to be able to regulate your body temperature by sweating.  That prevents our temperature from going up significantly during sports and exercise.  (It's also a basic definition of warm blooded...we maintain a stable temperature when our bodies are working they way they are supposed to.) You are more likely to get brain damage from a concussion gotten while playing sports ; )
963835
the body is not very good at changing energy into movement\n3/4 of the energy used to move muscles is turned into heat instead of moving the muscle\nthis heat is what makes you warm
211360
That is fine. as long as is not a major,sudden change. Your bodys temperature changes due to a lot of factors like: activity, stress or even what you eat. Lack of sleep or activity also makes a difference . you are fine.
569153
yes that is true because your body is working to maintain your body heat.
895713
Because that is typical human body temperature, and many enzymes are derived from, or are studied in the human body.\n\n\nSome enzymes are able to handle very high temperatures, while others quickly denature (cook).  Cold doesn't really affect the enzyme structurally, but at colder temperatures, the enzyme is not able to catalyze the reactions, which is its function, fast enough.\n\n\nOr stated another way, 37 C is the temperature human enzymes, and many animal enzymes as well, are studied because that is where most of them function the best.\n\n\n\n\n\n.
708752
Your body is releasing excess heat as a way to regulate body temperature. Skin in any area can become hot to the touch and red as a means to do this, but it's very common on the face and ears. You don't necessarily have a fever, but your body is constantly trying to maintain its normal body temperature.