In the winter, if you want to go to surfing, swimming or diving that seems to be a difficult thing, particularly in a chilly area, like UK or Canada. But if you have a wetsuit, the more you are able to do. These amazing suits can't let you stay dry, but they do can let your body to keep a certain heat, ensure the safety of you when sporting in the ocean. Let's look at how they work.
How clothes keep us warm
Wetsuits are not waterproof, but after the water penetrates into the suits, the body temperature will heat the cold water between the skin and the wetsuit, and the wetsuit is to protect this layer of warm water from loss, so that the human body will not lose its temperature underwater, so as to keep warm. The principle is similar to wearing coats in winter to prevent loss of body temperature. Generally speaking, the material of wetsuit is made of neoprene and nylon. Double-sided adhesion of neoprene to nylon elastic fabric can delay the loss of body temperature.
Heat tends to flow from a hotter object to a cooler ones nearby, is that called the second law of thermodynamics. For example, in winter, when you’re in outside, and your body temperature is much higher than it is outside, the heat will flow from your body into the air, and your body will begin to cool down rapidly. In reality, the rate at which the body loses heat is directly related to the ambient temperature. So the colder the water, the faster you lose heat.
In cold zone or sub cold zone countries, in January or February, you venture into the sea without a wetsuit. It is very likely to endanger your life. Swimming in such cold water can be quite dangerous. Your body temperature can drop so quickly or even too low that you can't warm up again. Your heart stops beating and will die within minutes.
So, it’s very necessary to wear a wetsuit when doing water sport in the cold!