Easy Way to Measure the Rate of Respiration

What is the rate of respiration in these germinating seeds?

Many biology teachers tell me that they dread teaching photosynthesis and
respiration to their students. Since I love teaching these concepts, I always
ask why they feel this way. Responses include: "My students think it is
boring. It is too abstract for the students to understand. There is too much
chemistry involved. There aren't any good labs to do."

I would have to disagree with all of th ese statements. Photosynthesis and

respiration may be the two topics I love teaching the most! What is more
fundamental to the study of biology than photosynthesis and respiration? I
have several labs (that I love!) that I do with my students while teac hing
about respiration. I have already written articles on two of these labs: Gas
Exchange in Respiration, and Energy in Foods.

This blog post is about a simple and effective method of measuring the rate of respiration in a living
organism. As you can see in the photo above, I used Sugar Snap Peas as my choice for a respiring
organism. The objective? To determine how much oxygen is consumed during respiration by these peas
over a given amount of time.

The experiment includes 2 experimental se t-ups and 1 control set up. The rate of respiration will be
measured in germinating peas and in dry peas that are dormant. The peas will be placed inside a device
known as a respirometer. To insure equal volume in each set -up, the volume of germinating peas is first
determined by water displacement. An equal number of dry peas will be used and the volume will be made
equal by the addition of small glass beads. The third respirometer will contain an equal volume of glass
beads only.

The respirometers are assembled as seen in the photo to the left. The essential components of the
experiment include:
1. Respirometers are assembled and placed in a large pan of water.
2. As oxygen is consumed by the seeds, the water will be drawn into the pipets. This can be measured
with the calibrate pipet that has been inserted into the rubber stopper.
3. Since carbon dioxide is also released during respiration, there will be no movement of water into the
pipet unless this is removed as a factor affecting the exper iment. A small amount of absorbent cotton is
placed in the bottom of the vial. This cotton is saturated with KOH. As carbon dioxide is released by the
respiring peas, it reacts with KOH to form solid potassium carbonate. This removes the carbon dioxide and
allows only the oxygen to be measured.
4. Measurements will be taken every 5 minutes for some length of time. Since we have a long lab period,
we were able to set up the experiment and then allow it to run for 30 minutes.