The pygmy shrew is the smallest mammal in North America. However, when comparing the amount of
food eaten to its body weight, the pygmy shrew eats more food than any other mammal. It will
consume two to three times its own body weight in food daily. One explanation is that the pygmy
shrew uses energy at a high rate. In fact, its heart beats over one thousand times per minute.
What is the best explanation for what happens to the food's mass and energy when it is consumed by
the pygmy shrew?
A. The mass is mostly excreted as waste. The
energy is burned up and destroyed by the
pygmy shrew's high rate of cellular respiration.
B. The mass is all used for creating new mass in
growth. The energy is stored, used in cellular
respiration, or lost to the environment as heat.
C. The mass is used for growth, stored, or excreted
as waste. The energy is stored, used in cellular
respiration, and lost to the environment as heat.
D. The mass is used for growth, stored, or excreted
as waste. The energy is burned up and
destroyed by the shrew's high rate of cellular
respiration
