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Glite Dictionary
respiratory quotient

respiratory quotient

7.9
A number showing how much carbon dioxide is made compared to oxygen used
  • noun
  • /ˈrɛspəˌrɛtɔri ˈkwɒtʃənt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : cociente respiratorio
  • So, if you are sitting at an RQ (Respiratory Quotient) of 0.7, which is when the body is using fat for energy, you need to burn 4,100 calories, not 3,500 calories, to burn one pound of fat.

Examples

  • The respiratory quotient can help determine how efficiently the body is using oxygen and producing carbon dioxide.

  • Researchers measured the respiratory quotient to understand the metabolic processes of the cells.

  • By calculating the respiratory quotient, scientists can assess the type of fuel an organism is using for energy.

Surface Forms

respiratory quotient singular
respiratory quotients plural

Morphology

respiratory + quotient

The term is directly compositional: 'respiratory' relates to breathing/respiration and 'quotient' means a ratio or result of division, so a learner who knows both constituents can infer it denotes a ratio connected to respiration. Although the exact technical detail (CO2 produced vs O2 consumed) is specialized, the basic idea of a respiration-related ratio is transparently derivable and parallels similar constructions in other languages.

Etymology

Respiratory quotient links respiratory meaning about breathing and quotient meaning a number you get when you divide one thing by another. So it is a simple 'ratio' that compares how much carbon dioxide the body gives off to how much oxygen it takes in, and that number helps show which fuel the body is using.