ZORAIZ ARIF

12/3/10

Period 2-3
(Done with David, Andrew, and Ian)

INTRODUCTION
This lab provided insight to the process of cellular respiration and how
it is affected by temperature in both germinating and dormant pea
seeds. Cellular respiration is an ATP-producing catabolic process in
which the electron receiver is an inorganic molecule. It is the release of
energy from organic compounds by chemical oxidation in the
mitochondria within each cell.

HYPOTHESIS
The respirometer with only germinating peas will have a larger
consumption of oxygen and will have a larger amount of CO2 that is
converted into K2CO3 than the respirometer with beads and dry peas
and the respirometer with beads alone.

PROCEDURE
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 10minute period
was necessary to ensure that a difference in temperature between the
air in the via land the water would not skew our results. Once the vials
were properly adjusted, we lowered them into the water.
Unfortunately. the water rushed into the respirometer, which would
indicated a leak. We then recorded the reading on the pipette at set
time periods.

CONCLUSION
In this experiment the vial with just germinating peas had the greatest
consumption of oxygen. This is because germinating peas carried out a
more rapid process of cellular respiration than the non-germinating
peas. The beads carried out no cellular respiration. The non-
germinating peas require less energy than the germinating peas so the
dry peas carry out a slower process of cellular respiration. This in turn
caused less oxygen to be consumed in the vials with non-germinating
peas than the vials with germinating peas. The higher temperature
caused cellular respiration to occur at a higher rate which in turn
caused a greater consumption of oxygen.

DISCUSSSION

As we see, the hypothesis is correct. Several factors could have caused

inaccurate results in this experiment. First, not maintaining a constant
temperature in the water bath could have caused inaccurate results.
Also moving the vials in the water after the experiment began could
have caused inaccurate results. Putting your hands in the water bath
while the vials were in the water could have caused inaccurate results.
Allowing the peas to come into contact with the KOH could have also
caused inaccurate results. Finally not having the same amount of
cotton in each vial could have caused an error in the results.

In this activity we investigating both the effect of germination versus

non-germination and warm temperature versus cold temperature on
respiration. The hypothesis being tested in this activity is that the
germinating peas in a water bath of 25 o C will have a higher
respiration rate than the other vials. The stopperof the vials
were completely sealed to prevent water from entering the
respirometer. Water moved into the pipettes because oxygen was
being consumed and allowed water to move only partially into the
pipette.

This activity uses a number of controls. One control is each vial had
the same volume. This showed that the volume of the vial did not
effect respiration rate. Another control was the vial with beads alone.
The beads carried out no respiration. The final control was the 10
minute equilibration period. This allowed the contents of the vials to
carry out respiration for a short period of time before they were
completely immersed in the water. The beads carried out no cellular
respiration. The peas did. Changes in atmospheric pressure could have
caused changes in respiration rate and correcting the readings
provided the most accurate results under the given conditions. Another
key component to this lab was the fact that as time increased oxygen
consumption increased. If we were to predict the results through 45
degrees if the temperature increased cellular respiration increased, but
after a certain temperature the respiration rate will start to go down.
The peak is the optimal temperature. . If you used the same
experimental design to compare the rates of respiration of a 25g.
reptile and a 25 g. mammal at 10oC. The mammal would carry
out a higher rate of cellular respiration. This is because the mammal
maintains a constant temperature that is higher than the temperature
of the cold blooded reptiles that will have a temperature of 10 C. . If
respiration in a small mammal were studied at both room temperature
21 o C and 10oC, The rate of cellular respiration would be higher at 21
degrees C because the 10 degrees C temperature could cause the
overall body of the mammal temperature to drop the most.

If we had an experiment to examine the rates of cellular respiration in

peas that have been germinating for 0, 24, 48, and 72 hours. I would
use the same format using respirometers to measure the cellular
respiration rate of the peas. The peas that had been germinating for 72
hours would have a higher respiration rate because they have a higher
energy demand
 5. From the slope of the four lines on the graph, determine
the rate of oxygen consumption of germinating and dry peas
during the experiments at room temperature and at 10o C.

Condition Show Calculations Rate in mL O /

minute

Germinating peas 2.3-1.5=.8/5 .16mL O2 /minute

at 10oC

Germinating peas 4.6-3.1/5 .3mL O2 /minute

at room
temperature

Dry peas at 10oC (.1)/5= .02 mL O2 /minute

Dry peas at room (.2-0 )/5= .04 mL O 2 /minute

temperature

7. Explain the effect of germination versus non-germination

on pea seed respiration.

Germination causes a higher rate of respiration than the non-

germinating peas.

8. Graph the predicted results through 45o C. Explain your

prediction.
 As the temperature increased cellular respiration increased, but
after a certain temperature the respiration rate will start to go down.
The peak is the optimal temperature.

(GRAPH)

9. What is the purpose of KOH in this experiment?

KOH removes carbon dioxide formed during cellular respiration.

10. Why did the vial have to be completely sealed around the
stopper.

The stopper was completely sealed to prevent water from

entering the respirometer.

11. If you used the same experimental design to compare the

rates of respiration of a 25g. reptile and a 25 g. mammal at
10oC what results would you expect? Explain your reasoning.

The mammal would carry out a higher rate of cellular

respiration. This is because the mammal maintains a constant
temperature that is higher than the temperature of the cold blooded
reptiles that will have a temperature of 10 C.

12. If respiration in a small mammal were studied at both room

temperature 21 o C and 10oC what results would you predict?
Explain your reasoning.

The rate of cellular respiration would be higher at 21 degrees C

because the 10 degrees C temperature could cause the overall body of
the mammal temperature to drop the most.

13. Explain why water moved into the respirometers’ pipettes.

Water moved into the pipettes because oxygen was being

consumed and allowed water to move only partially into the pipette.

14. Design an experiment to examine the rates of cellular

respiration in peas that have been germinating for 0, 24, 48,
and 72 hours. What results would you expect? Why?

I would use the same format using respirometers to measure

the cellular respiration rate of the peas. The peas that had been
germinating for 72 hours would have a higher respiration rate because
they have a higher energy demand.