Editing Endothermic process (section)

==Distinction between endothermic and endotherm==
The terms "endothermic" and "endotherm" are both derived from [[Ancient Greek|Greek]] {{Lang|grc|ἔνδον|italic=no}} ''{{Lang|grc-latn|endon}}'' "within" and {{Lang|grc|θέρμη|italic=no}} ''{{Lang|grc-latn|thermē}}'' "heat", but depending on context, they can have very different meanings.

In physics, [[thermodynamics]] applies to processes involving a system and its surroundings, and the term "endothermic" is used to describe a reaction where energy is taken "(with)in" by the system (vs. an "exothermic" reaction, which releases energy "outwards").<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-11-18 |title=5.2: The First Law of Thermodynamics |url=https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/General_Chemistry/Map%3A_Chemistry_-_The_Central_Science_(Brown_et_al.)/05%3A_Thermochemistry/5.02%3A_The_First_Law_of_Thermodynamics |access-date=2024-06-28 |website=Chemistry LibreTexts |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Meaning of endothermic in English |url=https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/endothermic |website=Cambridge Dictionary |publisher=Cambridge University Press}}</ref>

In biology, [[thermoregulation]] is the ability of an [[organism]] to maintain its body temperature, and the term "[[endotherm]]" refers to an organism that can do so from "within" by using the heat released by its internal bodily functions (vs. an "[[ectotherm]]", which relies on external, environmental heat sources) to maintain an adequate temperature.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Endotherm {{!}} Homeothermy, Thermoregulation, Metabolism {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/science/endotherm |access-date=2024-06-28 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref>