Metabolism is defined as chemical reactions sustaining life.

• A. Sedative-Hypnotic
• B. Basal Metabolic Rate
• C. Metabolism
• D. Compensation

Answer: (C)

Metabolism is the umbrella term for all chemical reactions that keep a living organism alive. It includes both breaking down nutrients to release energy (catabolism) and using energy to build complex molecules (anabolism), supporting growth, maintenance, and detoxification. Basal Metabolic Rate is a specific measure of the energy the body uses at rest—part of metabolism but not its definition. A sedative-hypnotic is a class of drugs that depress the central nervous system, not the concept of metabolism. Compensation refers to physiological adjustments to maintain balance, not the defining set of reactions that sustain life. So the term that matches the definition is metabolism.