Multiple choice

Assume that an animal generates heat at a rate proportional to its volume and can radiate heat at a rate proportional to its body surface area. Which of these animals would be the best at maintaining its body temperature in a cold climate?

  1. Mouse

  2. Rabbit

  3. Fox

  4. Bear

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Heat generation scales with volume while heat loss scales with surface area. The volume-to-surface-area ratio increases with size (cube-square law), so larger animals retain heat better. Bears have the most favorable ratio among these animals, making them best suited for cold climates.