MCQ Detailed View

The temperature of a dead body does not remain fixed; instead, it gradually adjusts to match the temperature of the surrounding environment where it is kept. In life, the normal human body temperature is around 37°C (98.6°F) due to continuous metabolic processes that generate heat. When a person dies, these metabolic activities stop immediately, and no more internal heat is produced.After death, the body begins a process called algor mortis, where it cools down progressively. The rate of cooling depends on several factors, such as:

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  Ambient temperature of the surroundings

  
  


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  Airflow and humidity in the place where the body is kept

  
  


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  Clothing or coverings on the body

  
  


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  Initial body temperature before death

  
  

Generally, a body loses heat at an average rate of about 1 to 1.5°C per hour until it reaches equilibrium with the environmental temperature. For example:

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  If the body is kept in a cool room (20°C), it will eventually cool down to approximately that temperature.

  
  


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  In a warmer environment (30°C), the body will remain closer to that temperature.

  
  

This is why the correct answer is “Temperature of the place where it is kept.” The body does not automatically become 0°C after death, nor does it stay at 37°C permanently. Over time, the body temperature always adjusts to the surrounding conditions.

This principle is important in forensic science, where investigators estimate the time of death by measuring body temperature and considering environmental factors. It also has medical and scientific relevance in understanding post-mortem changes.