KA3- Metabolic rate Flashcards
What is metabolic rate?
The quantity of energy used by the body over a given time
What is metabolic rate measured in?
Kilojoules (KJ) or kilocalories (Kcal)
How can metabolic rate be measured (3)
Oxygen consumption per unit time
CO2 production per unit time
Heat production per unit time
How can metabolic rate be measured?
Calorimeter
Respirometer
What do calorimeters measure?
Heat generated by an organism
What do respirometers measure?
Oxygen uptake by living organisms
How can oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide and temperature also be measured by?
Probes linked to a computer to collect large quantities of data over a longer period
What is used to measure fish metabolic rate?
Flow respirometers
What is basal metabolic rate?
Minimum rate of energy released needed to maintain essential processes
When is BMR higher?
It’s higher per unit of body mass in small animals compared to larger ones
Why do smaller animals have a higher BMR?
Smaller animals have a greater surface area to volume ratio, so lose heat more rapidly
Why do fish have a low metabolic rate?
They are ectotherms and their body is supported by water
What categories of animals have the highest metabolic rate?
Birds and mammals
What do organisms with high metabolic rates need?
Efficient transport systems
Why do organisms with high metabolic rates need efficient transport systems?
To deliver large supplies of oxygen to respiring cells very quickly
