Note 11 — Chapter III · ALIMENTARY ENERGETICS.

There is another reason why the rôle of mechanical energy, compared with that of thermal energy, is reduced, in the partition of afferent, alimentary energy—at least, in animals which have not to do excessive work. The unit of heat, the Calorie, is equivalent to 425 units of work—i.e., to 425 kilogrammetres. In the animal at rest, the number of kilogrammetres representing the different quantities of work done is small, the number of corresponding Calories is 425 times smaller. It becomes almost negligeable in comparison with the considerable number of Calories dissipated in the form of heat.