Which of the following statements about the size of an organism's gas exchange surface is true?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The size of an organism's gas exchange surface is generally proportional to its metabolic demand for oxygen. Therefore, the surface area is sized to match the needs of the organism. This means that organisms with high demands for oxygen, such as birds and mammals, have larger surfaces while organisms with lower oxygen demands, such as insects and some aquatic animals, have smaller surfaces. Option A is incorrect because even organisms with small demands for oxygen require sufficient gas exchange to meet their needs. Option B is incorrect because active mammals require larger gas exchange surfaces to satisfy their higher metabolic demands. Option D is incorrect because extra gill surface area in a fish would increase drag forces in water, not lower them.

Which of the Following Statements About the Size of an Organism's