Physiology
Metabolic Scaling
The mathematical relationship between body size and metabolic rate. Metabolic rate scales with body mass to the 3/4 power, meaning larger organisms are more efficient per unit mass.
Biological Context
A mouse burns 20x more energy per gram than an elephant. This scaling affects lifespan, growth rate, and resource requirements. The 3/4 power law appears across taxa from bacteria to whales, suggesting fundamental constraints on biological energy use.
Business Application
Organizational metabolic scaling: larger companies often have lower costs per unit revenue. This efficiency advantage creates natural consolidation pressure in mature industries.