Surface area to volume ratio Flashcards
How is surface area and volume important?
They are important in exchanging materials in organisms.
What does surface area refer to?
The total area of the organism is exposed to the external environment.
What does the volume refer to?
The total internal volume of an organism ( total amount of space inside the organism )
What happens when the surface area and volume of an organism increases ( overall size of an organism ) and why does it happen ?
The surface area : volume ratio decreases. This is because volume increases more rapidly than surface area as size increases.
calculation for surface area…..
What does a thin membrane do?
Reduce the diffusion distance.
How does an organism’s size relate to the surface area to volume ratio?
The larger the organism the lower the surface area to volume ratio.
