Correct Answer: hormone secretion.
the question asks which factors can raise both metabolism and core body temperature. the correct answer given is hormone secretion. here's why: metabolism refers to the biochemical processes that occur within a living organism to maintain life, involving the conversion of food and other substances into energy and building blocks for the body, along with the elimination of wastes. core body temperature, on the other hand, is the temperature of the internal environment of the body, which is tightly regulated by various physiological mechanisms.
hormone secretion significantly influences both metabolism and core body temperature. hormones like thyroxine (produced by the thyroid gland) and adrenaline (produced by the adrenal glands), among others, play crucial roles. thyroxine increases the basal metabolic rate, enhancing oxygen consumption and heat production across most body tissues. adrenaline, commonly known as the fight-or-flight hormone, also increases metabolic rate through its rapid action on various systems, which in turn can raise body temperature.
other factors like exercise and the ingestion of food can also increase metabolic rate and body temperature. exercise increases muscle activity which requires more energy and produces more heat. the ingestion of food triggers what is known as diet-induced thermogenesis, where the body generates heat to digest, absorb, and process the nutrients, hence slightly increasing the body temperature.
occupational inactivity, which implies a sedentary lifestyle, generally leads to a lower basal metabolic rate and does not contribute to an increase in core body temperature. similarly, water consumption does not directly increase metabolic rate because water does not provide calories that need to be burned for energy, although staying hydrated is essential for optimal metabolic function and temperature regulation.
lastly, the intake of insufficient calories can lead to a decrease in metabolic rate as the body can enter a state of conservation, lowering energy expenditure to prolong stored resources, which contradicts the factors that would raise metabolism and core body temperature. thus, among the options provided, hormone secretion is the accurate factor that can elevate both metabolism and core body temperature.
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