Part of how we regulate our body temperature includes making our blood vessels larger and able to release more heat, or smaller to help us conserve heat. Our blood, however, is also important for circulating nutrients and ions to every cell in our body. Since our blood is mostly water, the nutrients and ions can easily dissolve into it. This unique property of water which allows it to dissolve many substances is why water is called _____. a nonpolar liquid. basic. a polar solute. the universal solvent.

When summer heat rises, your body works hard to keep things balanced through a process called hameostasis. Homeostasis is your body's way of keeping internal conditions (e.g., temperature, water levels, and heart rate) stable, even when the outside environment changes. Imagine you're outside on a hot day, playing basketball or walking in the sun. As your body heats up, your brain senses the rising temperature and sends signals to help cool you down. One major response is sweating. Sweat glands in your skin release moisture, and as the sweat evaporates, it carries heat away from your body. At the same time, your Sweat blood vessels near the surface of your skin widen (Le., vasodilation) so more heat can escape. _/ Evaporating These actions help keep your body temperature close to 98.6F (37C), which is the ideal range for your organs to Fats Body heat function properly. Without these homeostatic responses, your body could overheat, leading to dangerous conditions like heat exhaustion or heat stroke. So the next time you're wiping sweat off your forehead in the summer sun, remember, your body is doing an amazing job keeping things in balance