The scientific explanation behind why exhaled air feels warm and inhaled air feels cold
When we breathe, our body undergoes a chemical and thermal exchange. The air we inhale is cooler than our body temperature, but as it passes through the respiratory tract, it warms up to match our internal temperature. This is why exhaled air feels warmer than the surrounding air.
The humidity in the air we breathe plays a hidden role in this process. As we inhale dry air from outside, our mucous membranes moisten it, extracting energy from our body heat and creating a slight sensation of cold when we breathe in.
Animals like dogs use this principle to regulate their temperature by panting. They quickly pass air through their mouth, causing saliva to evaporate and resulting in heat loss. This natural cooling mechanism also occurs to a lesser extent in our bodies.
Our perception of air temperature is influenced by thermoreceptors in our mouth, palate, and nasal passages, which detect cold and heat. This is why we feel the air we inhale as cooler and the air we exhale as warmer, even though the temperature in our mouth remains constant.
