How Surface Area/Volume Affects Thermoregulation of Objects

Abstract

This study means to see if the surface area to volume ratio of animals affects their heat gain and how that would aid or hinder animals in certain environments. Habitats tend to support smaller animals in warmer climates and larger ones in cooler climates as found in “Thermoregulatory strategy varies among neonatal polar phocids”. While many animals follow this method, some deviate from the norm. Understanding how animals perform thermoregulation will help us understand how these animals thrive in climates against them. Knowing how the surface area to volume ratio effects heat gain and loss is the first step to understanding how different animals survive in harsh climates. We can go from this to other methods of thermoregulation, like skin composition and conduction.