Definition of respiratory quotient
: a ratio indicating the relation of the volume of carbon dioxide given off in respiration to that of the oxygen consumed
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First Known Use of respiratory quotient
1879
Medical Dictionary
respiratory quotient
medical Definition of respiratory quotient
: the ratio of the volume of carbon dioxide given off in respiration to that of the oxygen consumed that has a value near 1 when the organism is burning chiefly carbohydrates, near 0.7 when chiefly fats, and near 0.8 when chiefly proteins but sometimes exceeding 1 when carbohydrates are being changed to fats for storage
—abbreviation RQ
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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about respiratory quotient
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