Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Hi, i am doing a science fair project to measure the oxygen output of plants. any help without expensive equipment?

You have selected an interesting topic for study. The following site will get you started.


ap12pg2Green Plants use carbon for carbohydrate synthesis from the carbon ... One method of measuring oxygen production is the light and dark bottle method. ...
io.uwinnipeg.ca/~simmons/ysesp/ap12pg2.htm - 6k - Cached - Similar pages

You can collect further information using keys words "simple methods to measure oxygen production by green plants".

Good luck.

Matt Mulanax

thank you very much for your advice.
however, i am trying to measure the 02 output of a spider plant inside a plexiglass container. i already have a rough estimate f how m uch oxygen a candle uses up per gram, perhaps that could help me?
well, any other help, by now i am will ing to buy equipment
thnx.

I suggest a simple search on Google using "making a simple manometer" or making a simple Warburg vessel.

The information you collect may help in constructing a simple device to measure oxygen out put in the bell jar.

Good luck.

Matt Mulanax

a group of professors came to our class today, and they suggested changing my experiment to focus on water-based plants (underwater).
that way, with an upside down graduated cylinder i can measure the amount of oxygen produced by them. however i am a bit reluctant of turning from the experiment that i wanted to do.
so in the meanwhile, what is a wharburg vessel?

A Warburg vessel is a jar with a small diameter glass arm in the shape of an S. It has mercury in the arm and is used to measure changes in volume in a closed system.

Your visitors had a very good suggestion to use water plants. They produce oxygen which can be easily measured by displacement.

Use a large glass graduated cylinder, fill it with water, put the plant in and turn it upside down on two glass rods in a bowl of water. The bowl serves as a seal and the oxygen produced will displace water in the cylinder. The glass rods allow water out of the cylinder.

This is an inexpensive solution and you can have several replications (cylinder systems) in a small space. You will be able to repeqt the experiment using a variety of conditions (light/dark, wqarm/cool). Be sure to document the conditions of each test.

Matt Mulanax

ill follow theirs and your advice for my experiment. if i need any other help ill be sure to ask you.
thnx.