Small animals eat much more food per kg of body mass than do larger animals. The basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the minimal energy intake necessary to sustain life in a state of complete inactivity. The table lists the BMR, mass, and surface area for five animals.
(a) Calculate the BMR/kg of body mass for each animal. Is it true that smaller animals must consume much more food per kg of body mass?
(b) Calculate the BMR/m2 of surface area.
(c) Can you explain why the BMR/m2 is approximately the same for animals of different sizes? Consider what happens to the food energy metabolized by an animal in a resting state.

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BMR Surface Ania (kcal/day) Mass (kg Area (m) Mouse Dog Human Pig Horse 3.80 0.018 770 2050 2400 4900 15 64 130 440 0.0032 0.74 2.0 2.3 5.1