Question

How is hypothermia related to heat transfer?

Answer 1

Loss of heat occurs from the patient skin to the environment through several heat processes, radiation, conduction and convection, and evaporation. Among these, radiation is most significant and total 60 % of heat loss is due to this. Through radiation heat from core body tissues is transported in blood, where heat is lost to the environment. This type of heat transfer is found in surgical patients.

Conduction is loss of kinetic energy from molecular motion in skin tissues to surrounding air. Compare to air, water absorbs more conducted heat, and this is responsible for hypothermia.