How does the muscular system help maintain body temperature?

• A. By dilating blood vessels to increase heat loss
• B. By producing melanin to protect against UV radiation
• C. By contracting muscles to generate heat through shivering
• D. By releasing sweat to cool the body

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that the muscular system plays a crucial role in thermoregulation, which is the process of maintaining an optimal body temperature.
2. Recognize that one of the primary ways the muscular system helps maintain body temperature is through the process of shivering.
3. Shivering involves the rapid, involuntary contraction of skeletal muscles, which generates heat as a byproduct of increased metabolic activity.
4. This heat production helps to raise the body's core temperature when it is exposed to cold environments, thereby maintaining homeostasis.
5. Note that other options, such as dilating blood vessels or releasing sweat, involve different systems (e.g., the circulatory and integumentary systems) and are not directly related to the muscular system's role in heat generation.