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salmayoussef
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Homework Statement
Insects don't need lungs. They breath through their skins. In this way they can get enough oxygen to fuel the basic metabolism that is common to all life. Approximate an insect by a cylinder of diameter 4mm and length 5mm. Assuming that the density of the insect is approximately that of water (i.e. 1.0 gram per cubic centimeter), how much oxygen absorbing area, in square meters, does the insect have for each kilogram of body mass?
I did my best to understand what this question is asking me and tried to solve it to no avail.
I know:
density = 1 g/cm3
diameter = 4 mm = 0.004 m
length = 5 mm = 0.005 m
Homework Equations
SA of a cylinder
Volume of a cylinder
The Attempt at a Solution
I tried to solve for the SA of the cylinder
SA = 2∏rh + 2∏r2
SA = 2∏(0.002)(0.005) + 2∏(0.002)2
SA = 0.000087964 m2
Then I tried to solve for volume
V = ∏r2h
V = ∏(0.002)2h
V = 0.005012566 m3
Then I tried to find "oxygen absorbing area" in m2 for each kg of body fat
0.000087964 m2/0.0005012 kg = 0.1755
Unfortunately it isn't the right answer! Can anybody point out what I've been doing wrong? Thanks! :shy: