Amount Quote by Robert Mayer
“The physiological combustion theory takes as its starting point the fundamental principle that the amount of heat that arises from the combustion of a given substance is an invariable quantity-i.e., one independent of the circumstances accompanying the combustion-from which it is more specifically concluded that the chemical effect of the combustible materials undergoes no quantitative change even as a result of the vital process, or that the living organism, with all its mysteries and marvels, is not capable of generating heat out of nothing.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Treatise on Physiology, 1842
The combustion theory asserts that heat released from burning a substance is constant, independent of conditions, implying living organisms cannot create heat from nothing.
In simple terms: Heat from combustion is constant; life doesn’t create heat from nothing.
Key Takeaway
Recognize limits of physiological heat generation.
Themes
science
physics
biology
Mood
scientific
historical
Type
educational
analytical
When to use this quote
- medical education
- research
- public lectures
Key Concepts
thermodynamics
energy conservation
Questions to Reflect On
- Does metabolism contradict this view?
- How does modern science explain heat in organisms?
A Different Perspective
Complex biology may involve additional energy sources.
