Outline7 marksChallenge
A student set up a simple respirometer to investigate the respiration of germinating maize seeds. The apparatus consisted of a sealed tube containing the seeds, soda lime to absorb carbon dioxide, and a manometer with coloured liquid. After 30 minutes, the coloured liquid moved, indicating a decrease in gas volume. The student calculated the oxygen uptake and, after correcting for the volume change, determined the respiratory quotient (RQ) to be approximately 1.0.
Outline the role of ATP as the universal energy currency in living organisms, with reference to the energy requirements of the germinating seeds and the significance of the RQ value calculated.