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Why is an alligator's resting metabolism lower than a human's?
I think it has something to do with thermogenisis, but really I don't know. I just would like to be able to understand how metabolism works. Thank you.
2 Answers
- Anonymous1 decade agoFavorite Answer
Alligators are exothermic meaning they absorb the heat their body needs but humans are endothermic meaning they produce the heat their body needs.
Metabolism refers to the collection of all chemical processes that happen within the body.
Heat is a by-product of metabolism, so humans raise their metabolic rates in order to use metabolism as a source of heat but reptiles don't do this so their metabolic rates are lower. When reptiles need heat they just bask in the sun and if they get too hot then they move to the shade.
- Anonymous1 decade ago
Alligators are sit-and-wait predators, and are "cold-blooded." Not using a lot of energy is good for these guys because prey may not stumble across them every day.
Humans are warm-blooded, and are thus generating heat to maintain the internal body temperature. We're also active chase-'em-down predators. We go looking for food; we do not wait for it to come to us.