The Effect of SA/V Ratio on Heat Retention of Animals in Different Climates

Abstract

We investigated the effect of SA/V ratios on heat retention. Animals in different climates have different shapes, and we are investigating if their size helps them survive in their climates. Animals that have a smaller surface area to volume ratio maintain heat more effectively which allows them to survive better in cold climates (French, 2014). Scientists haven't done efficient work in this topic of discussion because it is very difficult to test our hypothesis on live animals in different places around the world. To tackle this question, we molded clay into blocks to resemble different shapes of animals, and it was then tested to measure the temperature after it was submerged in ice. We put clay on ice and recorded the heat retention of the different pieces with different SA/V ratios