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Why is sweat composed of water and salt?
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[QUOTE="fog37, post: 6056906, member: 503639"] Hello Everyone, First of all, my well wishes for everyone in the path of hurricane Florence. My reflection today is about the natural body perspiration mechanism. Please let me know if my understanding is mistaken or correct on this topic: Our bodies shed thermal energy using four mechanisms: radiation, conduction, convection and perspiration. Perspiration (evaporative cooling) is always working while the other three mechanisms do not if the ambient temperature is higher than the body's temperature. During perspiration, I think the water in the sweat reaches the skin surface already warm/hot having absorbed heat internally from the body. Or does the water in sweat absorb the body heat once it makes it to the skin surface? The water in sweat then evaporates from liquid to gas. Heat is removed from the body and we feel cooler. I know water has a high heat capacity. Is it really the best fluid for perspiration? Alcohol would be better but our body does not contain alcohol. Perspiration works when the ambient temperature is lower, equal or higher than the body's temperature. But it stop working when the ambient relative humidity RH is 100%. I guess it is possible for RH to be 100% even when it is cool outside. The worst situation for the body is when the ambient temperature is super high (higher than the body's temperature) and the RH=100%. Is that correct? Sweat is water+salt. Apparently, salt, which is a waste product, does not help perspiration since it increases the evaporation point slowing evaporation down. Thanks! [/QUOTE]
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Why is sweat composed of water and salt?
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