Effect of Temperature Change on the Metabolic Rates in Mice

Abstract

This study was undertaken to find the relationship between metabolic rate and temperature in mice. Mice are observed to be more active at low temperatures and stressed out at high temperatures which we believe is due to their metabolic rates. To attempt to explain the relation between these two variables, we collected the mice’s O₂ and temperature rates while they were kept in a respiration chamber for an extended period of time. Our results showed that as temperature increased, CO₂ decrease, supporting our hypothesis that a colder environment increases the metabolic rate in a mouse as they try to thermoregulate, thus the metabolic process begins forcing the mouse to take in more O₂ than usual.