The surface-volume ratio in homeothermic: Didactic experience in the physics laboratory

Abstract

This work presents an experimental activity developed in a teacher training course in natural sciences. In the activity, a physical phenomenon present in the homeothermic animals was modeled, consisting of the greater exposure to heat transfer in young animals compared to adult specimens of the same species. This thermal situation has important consequences for animal behavior. The explanation is based on the fact that the relationship between the body area of the small animal and that of the adult, gives a greater value than the relationship between the respective volumes. Representative aluminum pieces are used to model the phenomenon, and open hardware is used to perform the temperature measurements in a calorimetry experiment. The construction of the necessary elements to develop it is detailed.