evaporative cooling

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

banner18

Full Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Jun 13, 2010
Messages
60
Reaction score
0
I remember this was one of the AAMC practice exam q's or part of kaplans topical tests..

why does one feel cooler when sweating and a gust of wind passes over their skin?

i get that when you sweat, body heat is transferred to the salty sweat allowing lots of heat to be stored in the sweat thus cooling you. When a wind gust blows the cooling effect is increased because the sweat is able to evaporate a faster rate. The reason the sweat evaporates faster is because the the increased wind speed creates an area of lower pressure (Bernoulli's principle) and this lower pressure allows sweat to come off the skin faster?

Is my reasoning correct?

I know that when you step out of a pool you feel really cold because the water on your skin in much colder than your body temp so your body transfers heat to the water. How is this effect augmented if its windy?
 
You're making it way too hard for yourself.

Evaporation is endothermic. So it absorbs heat from your skin, therefore you feel cooler.
 
Not all body heat is dissipated by sweating. Heat directly exchanges with the environment as well. Thus wind cools you because of convection . . .
 
Not all body heat is dissipated by sweating. Heat directly exchanges with the environment as well. Thus wind cools you because of convection . . .

Yup that too. But I think the OP was talking about "evaporative cooling"
 
Top