Surface area to volume ratio

Question 1

How do you calculate volume + units

Answer 1

L X W X H
cm^3

Question 1

How do you calculate surface area + units

Answer 1

(L x W) of one side x how many sides(faces)
cm^2

Question 2

How do you calculate surface area: volume?

Answer 2

Surface area/ volume

Question 3

As an organism gets bigger, will the surface area: volume ratio be bigger or smaller + what does this mean for large and small organisms?

Answer 3

As an organism gets bigger, the surface area: volume ratio will be smaller.
Small organisms have a large surface area: volume ratio which means they can efficiently diffuse substances across their surface. Larger organisms have smaller surface area: volume ratio which means they can not efficiently diffuse substances across their surfaces, so they have adaptations to help increase their surface area.

Question 4

Is the metabolic rate in large organisms high or low + why and what does this mean?

Answer 4

Large organisms have high metabolic rates because the bigger the organism, the more cells they have. This means there are bigger demands to remove waste and also get enough oxygen and glucose to cells for respiration.

Question 5

What are some adaptations?

Answer 5

• Folds in villi and microvilli for absorption of digested food
• Lots of alveoli and bronchioles for gas exchange
• Lots of spiracles and tracheoles for gas exchange
• Gill filaments and lamellae for gas exchange