consumption rate of oxygen - why?
 

I have been asked this question by PM:

I'm in a science project measuring the consumption rate of oxygen at night by a fern with gibberellic acid and without, and I have a major gap in the focus of this project.

Why would someone want to know how much oxygen a plant consumes at night? What are possible applications for this information?

consumption rate of oxygen - why?
 

"kevin" wrote in message
...

I have been asked this question by PM:

I'm in a science project measuring the consumption rate of oxygen at
night by a fern with gibberellic acid and without, and I have a major
gap in the focus of this project.

Why would someone want to know how much oxygen a plant consumes at
night? What are possible applications for this information?


--
kevin

Ok, this is pretty off-the-wall, but back in grad school days, several
European visitors to our Berkeley group suggested that plants consumed
enough oxygen at night to endanger me. (I lived in a small apartment with
about 600 orchids and bromeliads). I'm sure there are better reasons to
know such oxygen consumption numbers!
Rick

consumption rate of oxygen - why?
 

"kevin" wrote
:
: I have been asked this question by PM:
:
: I'm in a science project measuring the consumption rate of oxygen at
: night by a fern with gibberellic acid and without, and I have a major
: gap in the focus of this project.
:
: Why would someone want to know how much oxygen a plant consumes at
: night? What are possible applications for this information?

Oxygen consumption is one metric of the metabolic rate, particularly in food
consumption. Gibberellic acid is a hormone involved in the development of
plants. Such an experiment is exactly what you might consider as a first
measure of the influence of gibberellic acid in increasing growth rate
during the dark hours.

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galathaea: prankster, fablist, magician, liar