Oxygen and Aerobic Respiration Essay

Submitted By msv4420
Words: 832
Pages: 4

Abstract This report serves to show the findings of lab 11.4. This lab provided datum about the extent of aerobic respiration in both germinating and nongerminating peas. The findings of the experiment proved that germinating peas, or reproductively able peas, use significantly more oxygen than nongerminating, or heat killed, peas, as anticipated by the students performing the lab. Aerobic respiration was necessary for the germinating peas because the oxygen released energy from the peas’ glucose to give fuel for germination. The major conclusion reached by the students was that plants require not only carbon dioxide but also oxygen to live, thrive, and reproduce. The students who performed the experiment already knew that aerobic respiration required oxygen, but the pupils sought to understand the extent of aerobic respiration in plants. Additionally, they wanted to know which factors, such as reproduction or lack thereof, could potentially limit oxygen consumption. Information about aerobic respiration in plants had not been presented to the students; therefore, none of the students knew whether plants required oxygen at all. The students gathered 30 germinating green peas, 30 nongerminating green peas, 10 glass beads, absorbent cotton, 6 KOH pellets, two test tubes, two 2-hole rubber stoppers to fit test tubes, two 500 mL beakers, two test tube clamps, two ring stands, water, rubber tubing, two graduated pipettes, two tubing clamps, black cloth, Brodie manometer fluid, a Pasteur pipette, wax pencil, a watch or timer, and forceps. In one test tube they added the 30 germinating peas. In the other test tube, they added the 30 nongerminating peas. In both test tubes, they added a small wad of the absorbent cotton on top of the peas. In the test tube with germinating peas, the students added the 6 KOH pellets on top of the cotton using forceps. They also added 10 glass beads on top of the cotton in the test tube containing the nongerminating peas. Then, the students stuck one rubber tubing and one graduated pipette through one of the rubber stoppers and repeated the same process with the remaining rubber stopper, graduated pipette, and rubber tubing. After the two rubber stoppers were completed, the students inserted one on the top of one test tube and the other into the remaining test tubes. Using the black cloths, the students then covered the test tubes with black fabric so that no light could get into the test tubes. Then, the students attached one test tube clamp to one ring stand and then attached the remaining test tube clamp to the remaining ring stand. Next the students prepared two room temperature baths by adding 350 mL of water each 500 mL beaker. Afterward, they attached the test tubes containing the peas to each test tube clamp and gently submerged each into the bath water so that the water level was just below the cotton. Then using the Pasteur pipette, the students added 1 drop of Brodie’s manometer fluid to the opened end of the graduated pipette to each of the graduated pipettes and then let both apparatuses sit for 3 minutes. After the 3 minutes were up, the students used a pinch clamp to clamp off the rubber tubing on each test tube and then marked the location of the manometer fluid on each pipette with a wax pencil. They then recorded the location of the manometer