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You just bought a freshwater tropical fish for your new aquarium. Once you arrive home, you fill the aquarium with cold, dechlorinated water and plug in the filter and heater. You immediately release the fish from his bag of warm water into the cold water of the aquarium and give him some food. After one hour, you notice the fish has lost its vibrant colouration and isn't swimming very much. After a few hours, you find the fish dead.
-Which of the following physiological process(es)could have lead to the death of the fish? I. decrease in enzyme-mediated reactions
II. increased rigidity in exchange membranes
III. non-shivering thermogenesis
A)I only
B)II only
C)III only
D)II and III
E)I and II

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The sudden change in temperature from warm water in the bag to cold water in the aquarium could have caused a decrease in enzyme-mediated reactions, as enzymes are sensitive to temperature changes. The cold water could also have caused increased rigidity in exchange membranes, hindering the fish's ability to exchange gases properly. Therefore, options I and II are both possible reasons for the fish's death. Non-shivering thermogenesis, on the other hand, is not relevant in this scenario as it is a process by which animals produce heat in response to cold temperatures, which is not what happened here.

Use the Following Information to Answer the Next Few Questions