Explain why it would be impossible for a gorilla the size of King Kong to have fur. (Your answer should explain how the surface area to volume ratio of a normal-sized gorilla would compare to Kong's; relate this to the role of surface area and volume in heat generation and heat transfer, and consider the function of fur.)
Table of contents
- 1. Introduction to Biology2h 42m
- 2. Chemistry3h 37m
- 3. Water1h 26m
- 4. Biomolecules2h 23m
- 5. Cell Components2h 26m
- 6. The Membrane2h 31m
- 7. Energy and Metabolism2h 0m
- 8. Respiration2h 40m
- 9. Photosynthesis2h 49m
- 10. Cell Signaling59m
- 11. Cell Division2h 47m
- 12. Meiosis2h 0m
- 13. Mendelian Genetics4h 44m
- Introduction to Mendel's Experiments7m
- Genotype vs. Phenotype17m
- Punnett Squares13m
- Mendel's Experiments26m
- Mendel's Laws18m
- Monohybrid Crosses19m
- Test Crosses14m
- Dihybrid Crosses20m
- Punnett Square Probability26m
- Incomplete Dominance vs. Codominance20m
- Epistasis7m
- Non-Mendelian Genetics12m
- Pedigrees6m
- Autosomal Inheritance21m
- Sex-Linked Inheritance43m
- X-Inactivation9m
- 14. DNA Synthesis2h 27m
- 15. Gene Expression3h 6m
- 16. Regulation of Expression3h 31m
- Introduction to Regulation of Gene Expression13m
- Prokaryotic Gene Regulation via Operons27m
- The Lac Operon21m
- Glucose's Impact on Lac Operon25m
- The Trp Operon20m
- Review of the Lac Operon & Trp Operon11m
- Introduction to Eukaryotic Gene Regulation9m
- Eukaryotic Chromatin Modifications16m
- Eukaryotic Transcriptional Control22m
- Eukaryotic Post-Transcriptional Regulation28m
- Eukaryotic Post-Translational Regulation13m
- 17. Viruses37m
- 18. Biotechnology2h 58m
- 19. Genomics17m
- 20. Development1h 5m
- 21. Evolution3h 1m
- 22. Evolution of Populations3h 53m
- 23. Speciation1h 37m
- 24. History of Life on Earth2h 6m
- 25. Phylogeny2h 31m
- 26. Prokaryotes4h 59m
- 27. Protists1h 12m
- 28. Plants1h 22m
- 29. Fungi36m
- 30. Overview of Animals34m
- 31. Invertebrates1h 2m
- 32. Vertebrates50m
- 33. Plant Anatomy1h 3m
- 34. Vascular Plant Transport1h 2m
- 35. Soil37m
- 36. Plant Reproduction47m
- 37. Plant Sensation and Response1h 9m
- 38. Animal Form and Function1h 19m
- 39. Digestive System1h 10m
- 40. Circulatory System1h 49m
- 41. Immune System1h 12m
- 42. Osmoregulation and Excretion50m
- 43. Endocrine System1h 4m
- 44. Animal Reproduction1h 2m
- 45. Nervous System1h 55m
- 46. Sensory Systems46m
- 47. Muscle Systems23m
- 48. Ecology3h 11m
- Introduction to Ecology20m
- Biogeography14m
- Earth's Climate Patterns50m
- Introduction to Terrestrial Biomes10m
- Terrestrial Biomes: Near Equator13m
- Terrestrial Biomes: Temperate Regions10m
- Terrestrial Biomes: Northern Regions15m
- Introduction to Aquatic Biomes27m
- Freshwater Aquatic Biomes14m
- Marine Aquatic Biomes13m
- 49. Animal Behavior28m
- 50. Population Ecology3h 41m
- Introduction to Population Ecology28m
- Population Sampling Methods23m
- Life History12m
- Population Demography17m
- Factors Limiting Population Growth14m
- Introduction to Population Growth Models22m
- Linear Population Growth6m
- Exponential Population Growth29m
- Logistic Population Growth32m
- r/K Selection10m
- The Human Population22m
- 51. Community Ecology2h 46m
- Introduction to Community Ecology2m
- Introduction to Community Interactions9m
- Community Interactions: Competition (-/-)38m
- Community Interactions: Exploitation (+/-)23m
- Community Interactions: Mutualism (+/+) & Commensalism (+/0)9m
- Community Structure35m
- Community Dynamics26m
- Geographic Impact on Communities21m
- 52. Ecosystems2h 36m
- 53. Conservation Biology24m
38. Animal Form and Function
Thermoregulation
Problem 14
Textbook Question
You are in a room of empty chairs. As the chairs fill with people, you become hotter and hotter. A ceiling fan is turned on, and you feel cooler. You gained heat by _________ and lost heat to the environment by _________ .
a. Conduction … convection
b. Radiation … convection
c. Radiation … conduction
d. Convection … radiation

1
Step 1: Understand the mechanisms of heat transfer. Heat can be gained or lost through conduction, convection, and radiation. Conduction involves direct contact, convection involves the movement of fluids or air, and radiation involves heat transfer through electromagnetic waves.
Step 2: Analyze how heat is gained in the scenario. As the chairs fill with people, you are surrounded by their body heat. Humans emit heat primarily through radiation, which is the transfer of heat via infrared waves.
Step 3: Examine how heat is lost in the scenario. When the ceiling fan is turned on, it creates airflow. This airflow facilitates convection, which is the transfer of heat through the movement of air or fluid, cooling your body.
Step 4: Match the mechanisms of heat transfer to the options provided. Heat is gained by radiation and lost by convection, which corresponds to option b.
Step 5: Confirm your understanding by reviewing the definitions of radiation and convection to ensure they align with the described scenario.

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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Heat Transfer Mechanisms
Heat transfer occurs through three primary mechanisms: conduction, convection, and radiation. Conduction is the transfer of heat through direct contact between materials, while convection involves the movement of fluids (liquids or gases) that carry heat away from a surface. Radiation, on the other hand, is the transfer of heat through electromagnetic waves, allowing heat to travel through a vacuum.
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Conduction
Conduction is the process by which heat energy is transferred through direct contact between materials. When two objects at different temperatures touch, heat flows from the hotter object to the cooler one until thermal equilibrium is reached. This mechanism is significant in solids, where particles are closely packed and can easily transfer kinetic energy.
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Convection
Convection is the transfer of heat through the movement of fluids, which can be either natural or forced. In natural convection, warmer, less dense fluid rises while cooler, denser fluid sinks, creating a circulation pattern that transfers heat. Forced convection occurs when an external force, like a fan, moves the fluid, enhancing heat transfer and cooling effects, as experienced with the ceiling fan in the scenario.
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