COUVA EAST SECONDARY SCHOOL
FORM 4 BIOLOGY
NAME: _________________
FORM & GROUP: __________
LAB # DATE: _____________
TITLE: RESPIRATION
AIM: To investigate the rate of respiration using a simple respirometer.
APPARATUS AND MATERIALS:
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PROCEDURE:
1) The syringe was opened and the organisms were carefully added.
2) The plunger of the syringe was then added and depressed, leaving adequate
air for the organisms.
3) The end of the capillary tube that is attached to the syringe was carefully
dipped into the methylene blue.
4) It was then blotted carefully, and the respirometer was placed onto a white
sheet of paper.
5) A ruler was immediately placed next to the capillary tube on the sheet of
paper.
6) The speed of the methylene blue solution was recorded, (distance travelled
per unit time over a 12-minute period).
7) Two graphs of distance vs. time and speed vs. time were plotted.
RESULTS:
TABLE: TABLE OF RESULTS
TIME, t/mins DISTANCE, s/cm SPEED, v/m/s
2 1.8 0.90
4 3.9 0.95
6 4.8 0.80
8 5.6 0.70
10 7.5 0.75
12 9.6 0.80
DISCUSSION:
A respirometer is a laboratory device used to measure the rate of respiration in
living organisms or tissues. Respiration is the process by which cells convert glucose
and oxygen into energy, carbon dioxide, and water. Respirometers provide a means
to quantify this metabolic activity and understand the energy production of
organisms. During respiration, the organism or tissue consumes oxygen and
produces carbon dioxide as a waste product. The respirometer measures the
changes in gas volume within the chamber over time, allowing the calculation of
respiration rates. The chamber is designed to contain the organism or tissue being
studied while allowing for gas exchange with the surrounding environment. The
capillary tube with methylene blue enables the detection and measurement of these
volume changes.
PRECAUTIONS, LIMITATIONS AND SOURCES OF ERROR:
The chamber in which the organism was in, was made sure to be secured
tightly to avoid leakage of gas.
The ruler was read at eyelevel to avoid parallax error.
RELFECTION:
During the respirometer lab, we had the opportunity to investigate the rate of
respiration in living organisms or tissues. It was an engaging and insightful
experiment that provided a deeper understanding of the metabolic processes
involved in respiration.
CONCLUSION:
The rate of respiration using a respirometer was successfully investigated.