Rohit asks why the testes hang outside the body cavity, where they seem less protected…
Contributed by StemPy LabTry it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
Rohit asks why the testes hang outside the body cavity, where they seem less protected. Explain it to him, and say what else the testes make besides sperm.
Need a reminder? The key ideaShow
Male: the testes in the scrotum make sperm and testosterone; the vas deferens carries the sperm to the urethra, the shared path for sperm and urine; the seminal vesicles and prostate add fluid. Female: the ovaries release one egg a month; the oviduct carries it to the uterus, which opens through the cervix into the vagina.
The worked solution
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Step 1. Temperature. Sperm are made best at a temperature a little lower than the normal body temperature.
Step 2. The scrotum. Hanging outside the body cavity, the scrotum keeps the testes cooler.
Step 3. The hormone. The testes also make testosterone.
Answer: the scrotum keeps the testes slightly cooler than the body, which sperm making needs; the testes also make testosterone.
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