Biology Coursework Investigation - Heat Loss

Aim

To investigate how variations in surface area and volume ratios in organisms lead to variations in heat loss and retention.

Introduction

Large animals have the ability to retain heat more easily than smaller animals because they have a larger surface area to volume ratio. This is the what I am trying to prove in the experiment. There are examples of this in nature. In winter the robin fluffs its wings up in order to retain more heat. When it does this, it forms a more spherical shape and this also gives better heat retention. But as I am unable to use live animals in the experiment I am using beakers full of hot water. The reason that an animal with a lower surface area to volume ratio retains heat more efficiently is because there is a greater volume to keep the heat and a smaller surface area that is open to outside elements.

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Apparatus

-          Diagram (see below)

-          2 x 500ml Beaker

-          2 x 100ml Beaker

-          2 x Tripod

-          2 x Bung w/ Thermometer

-          Water Bath

-          Ruler

-          Insulating material

Method

Having set up the equipment as shown in the diagram, heat up the water to around 70OC and fill both 500ml beakers with water. Then leave them in the tripod and allow them to cool, taking care to ensure that the beakers are both at the same height above the desk. ...

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