2006-11-21 10:23:04 · 4 answers · asked by blaackaa 1 in Environment
Teacher at school gave this question to my six yo son as homework?
2006-11-21 10:24:43 · update #1
Water, even though it is urinated, defecated, expired and perspired out, it is not waste. It is used as a solvent to rid the body of waste.
2006-11-21 10:28:05 · answer #1 · answered by Brewjar 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If waste is defined as anything ingested and not used, then any ingested material which provides one or more of the following is a correct answer to your question:
* Energy source (e.g. sugars) for conversion by bodily processes
* Building/repair material (e.g. calcium) for cells and other bodily elements
* Fluids (e.g. water) required by the body to properly functions
* Oxygen for enegy conversion
Another definition of what waste is not are things like:
* Sweat - fluid not wasted but used to cool the body
* Hydrocarbon gases - emitted, for example, as pheronomes
* Tears - fluid not wasted but used to protect the eyes from dust and other contaminants.
* Hair - falls out (esp. for me!) but provides functionality before it is lost. Also could include finger/toe nails.
Hope this helps!
2006-11-21 10:35:29 · answer #2 · answered by cfpops 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm not sure if I understand the entire scope of the question, but I guess you could say that sweat is not a waste product. Its purpose is temperature regulation.
2006-11-21 10:28:19 · answer #3 · answered by dswawm 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Probably carbon dioxide since it is used by trees--but this is just a guess. What else is expired or expelled? Feces is a fertilizer in a way...urine isn't really useful...heat is radiated but not really useable...sweat is evaporated but... I think the answer is CO2.
2006-11-23 12:19:30 · answer #4 · answered by Peter 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋