Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
Methods:
During the lab, we prepared both a room temperature and a 10oC water bath. Then, we
filled a 50 mL graduated cylinder halfway with water. We added 25 germinating peas and
determined the amount of water that was displaced. Then we removed the peas, placed them on a
paper towel, refilled the graduated cylinder, and added glass beads to the graduated cylinder until
the volume was equivalent to that of the expanded germinating peas. We removed the beads,
refilled the graduated cylinder, added 25 non-germinating peas, and then added more glass beads
until the volume was once again equal to the germinating peas’ volume. After all that was done,
we prepared another set of peas and beads for the last 3 respirometers. Assembly of the
respirometers was the next step. We obtained 6 vials, stoppers, and graduated pipettes. Then we
placed a wad of absorbent cotton in the bottom of each vial and, using a pipette, saturated the
cotton with about 2-3 mL of 15 % KOH. We then placed a layer of non-absorbent cotton on top
of the KOH-soaked cotton in order to protect the peas from the KOH. We placed the first set of
germinating peas, dry peas and beads, and beads alone in vials 1, 2, and 3, and the second set in
vials 4, 5, and 6, then placed the stoppers in each vial. We made slings out of masking tape in
order to hold the pipettes out of the water for the 10 minute equilibration period and placed the
vials on them (1, 2, and 3 in the room temperature bath, 4, 5, and 6 in the 10oC bath). The 10
minute period was necessary to ensure that a difference in temperature between the air in the vial
and the water would not skew our results. Once the vials were properly adjusted, we lowered
them into the water. Thankfully, the water did not rush into the respirometer, which would have
indicated a leak. We then recorded the reading on the pipette at set time periods.
Results:
Measurement of O2 Consumption by Soaked and Dry Pea Seeds at Room Temperature and
10˚C
Initial-
21 .87 .9 .89
0
Initial-
9 .86 .85 .89
0
0-5 Oxygen
10 Comsumption
.84 .02 .79 of.06
Germinating
.04 Peas,.02Non -0
.87
0-10 Germinating
10 .85 Peas,
.01 and Glass
.74 .11 Beads
.1 at.9 20˚C
-.01and -.02
0.6
20˚
0.4
Beads Alone 10˚
0.2
0 Germinating Peas
0 0-5 0-10 0-15 -20 10˚
Time Dry Peas and Beads
10˚
It was necessary to compare the reading from the peas with the reading from the
beads because the beads served as a control variable, therefore, the beads experienced no
change in gas volume. Germinating seeds have a higher metabolic rate and need more
oxygen for growth and survival. Non-germinating peas, though alive, need to consume
far less oxygen in order to survive. The KOH absorbed the carbon dioxide and caused it
to form a precipitate at the bottom of the vial, preventing it from changing the pressure in
the vial. When the peas underwent cellular respiration, they consumed oxygen and
released carbon dioxide, which reacted with the KOH in the vial, resulting in a decrease
of gas in the pipette. The water moved into the pipette because the pressure in the pipette
lessened.
Calculations:
(0.85-0.65)
Germinating Peas/ 10 oC .01
20 min.
(0.9-0.5)
Germinating Peas/ 20 oC .02
20 min.
(0.89-0.95)
Dry Peas/ 10 oC -.003
20 min.
(0.89-0.89)
Dry Peas/ 20 oC 0
20 min.
Conclusion:
The lab demonstrated many important things relating to cellular respiration. It showed
that the rates of cellular respiration are greater in germinating peas than in non-germinating peas.
It also showed that temperature and respiration rates are directly proportional; as temperature
increases, respiration rates increase as well. Because of this fact, the respirometers placed in the
water at 10 oC displayed a lower rate of cellular respiration than the respirometers placed in the
room temperature water. The non-germinating peas consumed far less oxygen than the
germinating peas. This is because, though germinating and non-germinating peas are both alive,
germinating peas require a larger amount of oxygen to be consumed so that the seed will
continue to grow and survive. In the lab, CO2 made during cellular respiration was removed by
the potassium hydroxide (KOH) and created potassium carbonate (K2CO3). It was necessary that
the carbon dioxide be removed so that the change in the volume of gas in the respirometer was
directly proportional to the amount of oxygen that was consumed. The result was a decrease in
gas volume within the tube, and a related decrease in pressure in the tube. The respirometer with
just the glass beads served as a control group that did not undergo cellular respiration. Numerous
errors could have occurred throughout the lab. The temperature of the baths may have been
allowed to fluctuate, which would change the temperature in the vials. The amounts of peas,
beads, KOH, and cotton may have varied from vial to vial. Air may have been allowed to creep
into the vial via a leaky stopper or poorly sealed pipette. The vials may have not properly
equilibrated, and students could have read the pipettes either too soon or too late. Students may
have misread pipettes. KOH could have come into contact with the sides of the vials when it was
being dropped onto the cotton. Mathematical inaccuracies may have occurred when completing
the table.