Outline5 marksStandard
A student used a simple respirometer to measure the respiratory quotient (RQ) of germinating seeds from three plant species, A, B and C. The RQ values obtained are shown in the table.
| Species | RQ |
|---|---|
| A | 0.7 |
| B | 1.0 |
| C | 0.9 |
It is known that the typical RQ for carbohydrate respiration is 1.0, for lipid respiration is approximately 0.7, and for protein respiration is approximately 0.9.
Outline what these RQ values indicate about the respiratory substrates being used by the germinating seeds of each species.