What fuels the forces that cause movement in animals?
Animal movement is fueled by the energy from food. The foods that can most readily be used to produce energy are carbohydrates and fats. The carbohydrates and fats are reduced to sugars and, in muscle cells, the sugars are converted by oxidation into carbon dioxide and water with release of energy. Some of this energy is in the form of heat, some is used to fuel other cellular processes, and some is used in the contraction of muscle fibers to cause movement.
