[Slightly vulgar shower thought]

How does excretion (defection or urination) affect the thermal energy of the body? The substance retains some thermal energy from the body, but does losing that substance cool the body in any way?

  • xmunk@sh.itjust.works
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    2 months ago

    When you say “cool the body” do you mean decrease the average temperature, decreasing the total thermal energy, or decreasing the total potential thermal energy? For the last two options the answer is a pretty clear yes because, even though our bodies try to efficiently consume food, poop still does have a bunch of calories in it and none of our waste leaves the body at 0K.

    • aubeynarf@lemmynsfw.com
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      2 months ago

      What about relative energy (energy per mass) - if poop is less energy dense than the protein/fat of your tissues, excreting it should increase your energy density