National League for Nursing (NLN PAX) Practice Exam

A roadrunner, like many birds, has a normal body temperature around 102°F to 103°F. When considering that the night temperature drops by 50 degrees, it's essential to understand the physiological adaptations of the roadrunner. These birds can regulate their body temperature and allow it to drop in response to lower environmental temperatures.

If the temperature drops by 50 degrees from a base body temperature of approximately 102°F, a reduction to about 52°F would be extreme and unsustainable for a bird. However, the roadrunner can tolerate a relatively lower body temperature while still maintaining vital functions. The choice of 94°F suggests a significant but feasible drop in body temperature, reflecting the bird's ability to enter a state of thermoregulation, which allows it to conserve energy and maintain its internal processes in cooler conditions without entering a state of hypothermia.

In wildlife, certain animals adapt their body temperatures through processes such as behavioral changes and metabolic adjustments. This ability to accommodate fluctuating temperatures is common among desert-dwelling species like the roadrunner, making the choice of 94°F a reasonable and biologically supported outcome in this scenario.