Final answer:
On average, warm-blooded vertebrates grow at least 100 times faster than cold-blooded vertebrates because warm-blooded animals can regulate their body temperature internally. This allows for more efficient metabolism and growth. So, the correct answer is option b.
Step-by-step explanation:
On average, warm-blooded vertebrates grow at least 100 times faster than cold-blooded vertebrates.
This is because warm-blooded animals have the ability to regulate their body temperature internally, which allows for more efficient metabolism and growth. Cold-blooded animals, on the other hand, rely on external sources of heat and their metabolism slows down in colder temperatures, resulting in slower growth.
For example, warm-blooded mammals like humans and birds have higher metabolic rates and can maintain a constant body temperature regardless of the external environment. In contrast, cold-blooded reptiles and amphibians have lower metabolic rates and their growth is highly dependent on the temperature of their surroundings.
So, the correct answer is option b.