The Effects of Surface Area to Volume Ratio on Thermoregulation

Abstract

This experiment was created to determine the effect of a badger’s surface area to volume ratio on its heat loss.  Animals are shaped differently in cooler climates than in warmer ones, and our experiment attempted a set of observations to investigate. Three spheres of clay were individually heated to a certain temperature, and their heat loss was measured in the time increments.  This research shows a possibility as to why badgers have different body shapes in different climates, such as the Ural-Volga and Great Plains regions (French 2014).