Cell Respiration Lab

Purpose

The purpose of this experiment was to observe the concentrations of carbon dioxide within a chamber during cellular respiration while various factors impacted in the process.  The independent variables were the temperature changes, and the germinating/non-germinating peas.  The dependent variables were the amounts of carbon dioxide produced and the rates of cellular respiration.

Introduction

Cellular respiration is the process cells undergo to break up sugars into a form that they can utilize as energy.  Cellular respiration takes in food and uses it to create ATP, a chemical the cell uses for energy. The process of cellular respiration consists of many different cycles, including the citric acid cycle.  During the citric acid cycle, carbon dioxide is produced and then later released as waste.

Methods

In this lab we tested the amount of oxygen consumption with the use of the devices. The beans, seeds, or glass beads were placed into the clear plastic container and we put the carbon dioxide and oxygen detectors into the openings on top of the container. The measures of these two gases appeared on the screen of the device. We then transferred this data onto each of our iPads.

Data 

The data from this lab explains the relationship between oxygen consumption and cellular respiration. 

Graphs and Charts

Discussion

It's evident that cellular respiration occurred in the peas. For the non germinated peas at room temperature, there was an increase in carbon dioxide while oxygen decreased. This means cellular respiration was at work and there was an exchange of the two gases. Similarly, for the non germinated peas with ice, there was an increase in carbon dioxide while the oxygen decreased. This shows non germinated peas were effected more then germinated peas. For the germinated peas in both room temperature and ice, there was little change in the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels. Germinated peas undergo cellular respiration because it's necessary for them to obtain energy this way. 

Conclusion

The germinating peas had the greatest celluar respiration of oxygen. The germinating peas had a faster process of cellular respiration than the non-germinating peas. The non-germinating peas required less energy, so because the dry peas were non-germinateing they had slower cellular respiration. The higher temperature caused the cellular respiration to occur faster and this caused a greater consumption of oxygen. The beads had no cellular respiration because they were unable to undergo the same process. 

 References