Energy metabolism in the whole animal revisited

Dimensional analysis of animals with regard to those structures and functions which affect the rate of energy metabolism can be conducted on the basis of either geometric or elastic similarity. Predictions of the relationships between various structures and functions and body mass are dependent of the type of similarity assumed. Comparison of the relationships between numerous physiological variables and body mass reported in the literature and those predicted from geometric and elastic similarity indicates that the preponderance of predictions from elastic similarity are in better agreement with the observed values than are the predictions from geometric similarity. It appears that the components of the cardiovascular system are scaled in accordance with elastic similarity. For this reason, cardiac output is proportional to body mass raised to the 3/4 power. The biochemical basis for the relationship between cardiac output and the rate of energy metabolism is discussed.