Activity 6

Respiration
NAME: _____________________________ GROUP NO: _____________

SECTION: ________________________ RATING: __________________

In order to survive, organisms require a source of energy and molecular building blocks to construct all of their
biological molecules.

Photosynthesis and cellular respiration are two of the most important biochemical processes of life on Earth. Both
are a series of reactions that are catalyzed by unique enzymes at each step.

Photosynthetic (“light” “forming”) organisms are those that can take simple molecules from the environment such as
carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O), and using the energy of the sun, create their own biological
macromolecules such as carbohydrates, proteins, lipids and nucleic acids. These reactions take place in the
chloroplasts of plant cells.

sunlight
6 CO2 + 6 H2O C6H12O6 + 6 O2
Carbon dioxide water glucose oxygen
REACTANT PRODUCTS

Figure 1. The simplified series of reaction of photosynthesis (chemical equation)

While in Cellular respiration it is also a series of chemical reactions, however, rather than requiring energy, this
process involves the breakdown of molecules (e.g., glucose) releasing energy that can be used for any
energyrequiring process in a cell. These reactions occur in the cytoplasm of bacteria and the mitochondria of
eukaryotic cells (including plants!).

C6H12O6 + 6 O2 > 6CO2 + 6 H2 O

glucose oxygen carbon dioxide water
energy
▼
ADP + Pi ATP

Figure 2. The chemical reactions of cellular respiration in one simple equation

Objective:
o Explain how the products of respiration are removed from the plant,
 o Recognize the relationship between respiration and photosynthesis in a plant,
o Outline a simple experiment to show respiration in a plant.
Materials:
10/25 ml Graduated Cylinder 200 ml Distilled water
Test tube w/screw cap 140ml Phenol red solution
Test Tube Rack Drinking Straw
pH Paper Strips Plastic cups
100 ml Beaker 100 pieces of Germinating Seeds
Water bath Stems 7cm long (Without leaves & roots/color green or brown stems)

A. Plant Respiration
Procedure:
1. Obtain 100 mL of water. Test the pH (using p
2. H paper test strips) of this solution. Record in your lab notebook.
3. Place 3 test tubes in a test tube rack and label each with the date, plant material, and your name. Add 10
mL of water to each of the 3 test tubes. Then add 3 drops of phenol red pH indicator into each test tube and
record the color.
4. Test tube 1 will be your control. Do not place any plant material in this tube. Place this test tube in a beaker
or container to hold the test tube upright. Place a stopper in the tube.
5. Pat dry the germinating seeds that have NOT been boiled. In test tube 2, add enough germinating pea
seeds to fill one-half of the tube, making sure the seeds are in the liquid. Place this test tube in a beaker or
container to hold the test tube upright. Place a stopper in the tube.
6. Pat dry germinating seeds that have been boiled. In test tube 3, add enough BOILED germinating pea
seeds to fill one half of the tube, making sure the seeds are in the liquid. Place this test tube in a beaker or
container to hold the test tube upright. Place a stopper in the tube.
7. Let these tubes sit quietly for 30 minutes. Observe and record the color of the liquid in the tubes. Pour a
small amount of the liquid from each tube into small clear containers and place a piece of pH test strip in
each solution. Leave for 2 minutes, and then record the pH of each solution. Pour the liquids back into the
correct test tubes and put stoppers back into the tubes.
8. Let these test tubes sit overnight.
9. Pour some of the liquid from each test tube into smaller clear containers. Note any color changes in the
liquids. Check and record the pH of the liquids by placing pH paper strips in each and leaving for several
minutes.

B. Examining Carbon Dioxide Before and After Exercise

100ml Phenol Red Solution Preparation = 0.1g of PRP + 100ml distilled water

Procedure:
Exhaling at Rest

1. Split 40 ml of diluted phenol red solution equally into two 50 ml Erlenmeyer flasks. There should be 20 ml of phenol
red solution in each.

2. While at rest, have a student blow through a straw into one of the phenol red solutions. Use a clock or a stop watch
to measure the amount of time required for the solution to turn completely yellow.
► Record the amount of time on your worksheet.

Exhaling after Exercise

1. Have the same student from above perform three minutes of moderate-to-heavy exercise.

2. Immediately upon completion of the exercise, have the student blow through a straw into the other phenol red
solution. Use a clock or a stopwatch to measure the amount of time required for the solution to turn completely
yellow.

► Record the amount of time on your worksheet and answer the related questions.
A. Plant Respiration.
B. Question
C. Hypothesis
Results
Data collected
Observations:
Conclusion:

[Link] Carbon Dioxide Before and After Exercise

Time required for phenol red to turn yellow

Minutes to color change
Before Exercise

After Exercise

Was there a difference in time? Explain.

Answer: