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What is the effect of surface area to volume ratio?In: Math |
One interesting effect is the heat loss flux in warm-blooded and cold-blooded animals. Since heat-transfer increases with surface area and decreased with volume the surface to volume ratio S/V is particularly telling for the effect.
Small mammals (warm-blooded) have a large surface to volume ratio and are in constant danger of losing their total body heat and must eat constantly to have something to maintain their temperature. For this reason mammals are active almost all the time and are 'chubby' in body design.
Small cold-blooded creatures also have a large surface to volume ratio and are capable of cooling off and warming up quickly. For this reason most small reptiles are slender - to increase their surface area and maximize their warming rate - and need to eat very sparingly.
Small mammals (warm-blooded) have a large surface to volume ratio and are in constant danger of losing their total body heat and must eat constantly to have something to maintain their temperature. For this reason mammals are active almost all the time and are 'chubby' in body design.
Small cold-blooded creatures also have a large surface to volume ratio and are capable of cooling off and warming up quickly. For this reason most small reptiles are slender - to increase their surface area and maximize their warming rate - and need to eat very sparingly.
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First answer by Wolfgang schwartzschild. Last edit by Wolfgang schwartzschild. Contributor trust: 52 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 1 [recommend question]
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