Why do mammals require more extensive respiratory surface?

Answer 1

Respiration , simply, is using oxgyen to change food into energy.

Respiration is NOT breathing.

But breathing (in animals) gets us the oxygen we need to carry out respiration.

Mammals require an extensive respiratory surface because we have high energy requirements.

Unlike fishes, reptiles and amphibians, we are endothermic (what most people call "warm blooded" and maintain a constant body temperature, and this does take energy.

Unlike birds, we get MUCH larger, and this also requires a lot of energy a well to maintain all our biomass.

HOWEVER, unlike what was implied earlier, birds actually have a VERY extensive respiratory surface. IN addition to lungs, birds also have air sacs--extra areas for gas exchange.

Every wonder why humans can give mouth to mouth resuscitation, and provide oxygen for an unconscious person?

It's because mammals are very inefficient users of oxygen. We only use about 10% of the O2 we inhale in each breath. We exhale the rest of it unused.

Birds on the other hand would not be able to give mouth to mouth (even if their beaks were flexible, lol) becasue they USE 90% of the O2 they inhale, due to their extra efficient and extensive respiratory surfaces.

Answer 2

Compared to reptiles we use more oxygen because we need it to convert food into body heat. We are also more active than most reptiles. Birds don't need as much respiratory surface as you would expect because their lungs have one way flow so every breath has the full amount of oxygen as fresh air. Our lungs are mostly filled with "used" air which is lower in oxygen content.

Answer 3

1) bigger size, more specialized organs become parts of a system..

2) unlike fishes who can extract O2 from water, we have to inhale..(suck air)

** also related to why we have 4 chambered hearts than amphibians-3 and fishes-2

Answer 4

Because they are the greediest living thing on earth!

Answer 5

More blood

Answer 6

I don't know, but I bet it's in your text book.