OCR General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) Biology Practice Exam

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What effect does air current have on the process of sweating?

  1. It decreases the rate of evaporation

  2. It has no effect on evaporation

  3. It speeds up the rate of evaporation

  4. It cools the sweat before it evaporates

The correct answer is: It speeds up the rate of evaporation

Sweating is an important physiological process that helps regulate body temperature. When sweat evaporates from the skin's surface, it takes heat away from the body, which cools us down. Air current plays a significant role in this evaporation process. When there is an air current, it increases the rate of evaporation of sweat from the skin. This is because moving air helps disperse the water vapor that is created as sweat evaporates. Without air movement, the area directly above the skin can become saturated with moisture, which slows down further evaporation. Therefore, when air is moving, it continually removes that water vapor, allowing more sweat to evaporate quickly and effectively cool the body. This is why the correct choice indicates that air current speeds up the rate of evaporation, ultimately enhancing the cooling effect of sweating on the body.