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Ch. 40 - Basic Principles of Animal Form and Function
Chapter 40, Problem 4

Compared with a smaller cell, a larger cell of the same shape has a. less surface area. b. less surface area per unit of volume. c. the same surface-area-to-volume ratio. d. a smaller cytoplasm-to-nucleus ratio.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Surface Area to Volume Ratio

The surface area to volume ratio is a critical concept in cell biology that describes how the surface area of a cell relates to its volume. As a cell increases in size, its volume grows faster than its surface area, leading to a decrease in this ratio. This ratio is important because it affects the cell's ability to transport materials in and out efficiently.
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Surface Area to Volume Ratio

Cytoplasm to Nucleus Ratio

The cytoplasm to nucleus ratio refers to the proportion of the cell's cytoplasm compared to its nucleus. A higher ratio indicates more cytoplasmic material relative to the genetic material housed in the nucleus. This ratio can influence cellular functions, including the regulation of gene expression and the overall metabolic activity of the cell.
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Cell Size and Function

Cell size is directly linked to its function and efficiency. Larger cells may face challenges in nutrient uptake and waste removal due to their lower surface area to volume ratio. Consequently, many cells remain small or adopt specialized shapes to optimize these processes, ensuring they can maintain homeostasis and perform necessary biological functions effectively.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question

The body tissue that consists largely of material located outside of cells is a. epithelial tissue. b. connective tissue. c. muscle tissue. d. nervous tissue.

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Textbook Question

Which of the following would increase the rate of heat exchange between an animal and its environment? a. feathers or fur b. vasoconstriction c. wind blowing across the body surface d.countercurrent heat exchanger

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Textbook Question

Consider the energy budgets for a human, an elephant, a penguin, a mouse, and a snake. The          would have the highest total annual energy expenditure, and the          would have the highest energy expenditure per unit mass. a. elephant; mouse b. elephant; human c. mouse; snake d. penguin; mouse

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Textbook Question

An animal's inputs of energy and materials would exceed its outputs a. if the animal is an endotherm, which must always take in more energy because of its high metabolic rate. b. if it is actively foraging for food. c. if it is growing and increasing its mass. d. never; due to homeostasis, these energy and material budgets always balance.

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Textbook Question

You are studying a large tropical reptile that has a high and relatively stable body temperature. How do you determine whether this animal is an endotherm or an ectotherm? a. You know from its high and stable body temperature that it must be an endotherm. b. You subject this reptile to various temperatures in the lab and find that its body temperature and metabolic rate change with the ambient temperature. You conclude that it is an ectotherm. c. You note that its environment has a high and stable temperature. Because its body temperature matches the environmental temperature, you conclude that it is an ectotherm. d. You measure the metabolic rate of the reptile, and because it is higher than that of a related species that lives in temperate forests, you conclude that this reptile is an endotherm and its relative is an ectotherm.

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Textbook Question

Which of the following animals uses the largest percentage of its energy budget for homeostatic regulation? a. marine jelly (an invertebrate) b. snake in a temperate forest c. desert insect d. desert bird

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