JOURNAL ARTICLE

The Resting Breathing Rate of the Dinosaur Plateosaurus trossingensis via Conservation of Energy.

Published In: Physics Teacher, 2023, v. 61, n. 3. P. 166 1 of 3
Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3
Authored By: Lee, Scott; Slowiak-Morkovina, Justyna 3 of 3

Abstract

This article focuses on estimating the resting breathing rate of the Late Triassic dinosaur Plateosaurus trossingensis using the principle of conservation of energy. The method calculates metabolism from the dinosaur's mass growth curve and assumes oxygen extraction efficiency similar to modern birds, which are dinosaur descendants with highly efficient unidirectional lungs. Using estimated atmospheric oxygen levels from the Late Triassic and measured tidal volume, the study predicts a resting breathing rate of approximately 7 ± 3 breaths per minute for P. trossingensis. The approach is validated by comparison with extant birds and alligators, showing close agreement between predicted and observed breathing rates, and is used as an educational exercise to explore dinosaur physiology through physics.

Additional Information

Source:Physics Teacher. 2023/03, Vol. 61, Issue 3, p166
Document Type:Article
Subject Area:Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
Publication Date:2023
ISSN:0031-921X
DOI:10.1119/5.0077948
Accession Number:162074489
Copyright Statement:Copyright of Physics Teacher is the property of American Institute of Physics and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Looking to go deeper into this topic? Look for more articles on EBSCOhost.