Gelatin blocks are used to model the dehydration of soft-bodied soil organisms in a warm, dry environment. Water is lost from the organism by evaporation across its outer surface.
The diagram below shows three differently shaped gelatin blocks prepared from the same batch. Each block has a volume of 216.0 cm3.
The table below shows the surface area, volume, and surface area to volume ratio for Block B and Block C. Complete the table by calculating and filling in the values for Block A, which is a cube with a side length of 6.0 cm.
| Block | Surface area (cm2\text{cm}^2cm2) | Volume (cm3\text{cm}^3cm3) | Surface area to volume ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | (i) | (ii) | (iii) |
| B | 252.0 | 216.0 | 1.17:11.17 : 11.17:1 |
| C | 492.0 | 216.0 | 2.28:12.28 : 12.28:1 |
Soil organisms are at risk of drying out (desiccation) in arid conditions. Explain which block shape, A, B, or C, represents the shape that would dry out the slowest, and therefore be best adapted to survive in an arid climate.
