Cellular Respiration, The Breath of Life

By

Carina Weidenbach

BIO 181 Laboratory, Monday at 4:30 7:15

Submitted on 2 October 2017

Abstract

Five different species of beans were tested, varying from lima beans, cranberry beans, chickpeas,

black beans, to germinating mung beans to determine the effect on the species of beans and their

CO2 output, based upon the size of their bean fruit. 10 grams of each bean species were placed in

a chamber separately to measure the CO2 production over a period of 4 minutes. The test was

completed in 2 trials. It was determined that the germinating mung beans produced the most CO2

output, of an average of 2461.48 ppm, while the cranberry beans produced the least CO2 output,

of an average of 813.68 ppm. Therefore, the size of the individual bean does not influence the

amount of CO2 output. However, there was an apparent variation of CO2 output levels between

the different bean species.

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Introduction

Cellular respiration is a fundamental aspect to all forms of life. O2 is consumed and

CO2 is produced by all living cells in the body every second of every day in a process called

aerobic cellular respiration. This process is absolutely vital to creating the energy that keeps the

cells alive, (Arroyo and Schweickert, 2015). Cellular respiration occurs within every cell of

every living organism, and converts biochemical energy in the form of Adenosine Tri-Phosphate

(ATP) from the nutrients within the organism through a series of reactions, and can be reduced to

the commonly referred equation C6H12O6 + 6O2 6CO2 + 6H2O + energy (ATP). These

reactions are aided by specific enzymes that help speed up the reaction and utilize the stored

energy from within the glucose molecule (Biology 181, 2016).

The purpose of this experiment was to determine the CO2 output of all living things. Prior

to conducting this experiment, a test was performed to analyze the CO2 output of glass beads,

germinating mung beans, and dormant mung beans. After the test, it was determined that even

when an organism is in dormant state, it will still produce levels of CO2, as it is still a living

organism. Yet, it was not evident if every species of organism would respond in the same

manner. This arose a question, Does the type of species of an organism affect the levels of CO2

output? Through this experiment, a variety of 5 different bean categories were tested to

determine if the species of bean used influenced the CO2 concentration within its chamber. By

controlling the materials, environment, and conductors of the experiment to remain the same, it

would be evident to determine if the type of bean species truly affected the level of CO2 output.

It was hypothesized that based upon the species of beans, as the size of the bean

increases, the CO2 output will increase. The null hypothesis, based upon the species of beans,

was as the size of the bean increases, the CO2 output will not increase. It was predicted that if
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different species of beans were tested, then the larger beans will produce more CO2

concentration, therefore, lima beans will produce the largest CO2 concentration.

As written in an article titled, Comparison of the Three Optical Platforms for

Measurement of Cellular Respiration, author Alina Kondrashina states, Local oxygenation

of cells that is linked to the oxygen consumption rate (OCR) can also inform on oxygen gradients

in respiring samples, hypoxic stress, development of or adaptation to pathophysiological

conditions (e.g., ischemia, stroke, cancer), and rapid changes in respiration on metabolic

stimulation, (2015). Therefore, measuring and monitoring the levels of CO2 output can aid in

many medical procedures, diagnoses, and reevaluations around the world. For example, when

determining the severity of a stroke on a patients brain, they may test the CO2 output during a

Computerized Axial Tomography (CAT) scan to determine if any clots prevented the process of

cellular respiration during a certain period of time.

Materials & Methods

To conduct the experiment to determine if the species of beans used affected the rate of

cellular respiration, the equipment was first calibrated. The CO2 sensor was connected to Pasco

Module and then the lab computer. To properly calibrate the CO2 sensor, the sensor was placed

into an empty chamber that had been aired out, using swift waving motions away from the lab

conductors face, and the computer program performed a calibration for 90 seconds. The

calibration button was observed to ensure that the green LED light had stopped blinking to

establish proper calibration. Then, the parameters of the data collection were adjusted

respectively: Sampling Mode: Periodic, Sample Rate Unit: Seconds, Sample Rate: 10, Condition:

Stop after duration, Value: 4, and Units: Minutes. Next, 10 grams of each bean species: Lima
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Beans, Cranberry Beans, Chick Peas, Black Beans, and Germinating Mung Beans were

measured and set aside. Each bean species was placed into the testing chamber one at a time,

starting with Lima Beans. The CO2 sensor was then secured to the testing chamber to ensure a

tight seal. The data collection was started by pressing the play button on the computer program,

and collected data for 4 minutes. Data collections were performed for each bean species

individually. The beans were properly disposed of after each data collection, and the test

chambers were cleaned and dried between each test. Then, the experiment was reconducted to

collect a second trial of data (Biology 181, 2016).

The independent variable of this experiment was the species of beans, varying from Lima

Beans, Cranberry Beans, Chick Peas, Black Beans, to Germinating Mung Beans, as it was the

only variable manipulated within the experiment. The dependent variable of the experiment was

the rate of CO2 Concentration (ppm), as it was the variable directly influenced based upon the

manipulated variable.

The positive control within the experiment was the Germinating Mung Beans because the

beans were activated and growing, therefore producing large amounts of CO2 when measured.

The negative control was the glass beads because the glass beads were not alive and therefore did

not produce any CO2 concentration when measured. Positive and negative controls were tested

along with the other different species of beans to ensure that there were no other confounding

variables present within the experiment, and tested during Part 1 of the experiment.
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Results

Figure 1

Affect of Bean Species on Cellular Respiration - Trial 1

3000
CO2 Concentration (ppm)

2500

2000
Lima Beans
1500 Cranberry Beans

1000 Chick Peas

Black Beans
500
Germinating Mung Beans
0
70
10
30
50

90
110
130
150
170
190
210
230
Time (s)

Figure 1 represents the CO2 Concentration (ppm) calculated and collected during trial 1 from
each bean species: Lima, Cranberry, Chick Pea, Black, and Germinating Mung, over a period of
4 minutes.

Figure 2

Affects of Bean Species on Cellular Respiration - Trial 2

5000
4500
CO2 Concentration (ppm)

4000
3500
3000 Lima Beans
2500 Cranberry Beans
2000 Chick Peas
1500
Black Beans
1000
500 Germinating Mung Beans
0
0

140
20
40
60
80
100
120

160
180
200
220
240

Time (s)

Figure 2 represents the CO2 Concentration (ppm) calculated and collected during trial 2 from
each bean species: Lima, Cranberry, Chick Pea, Black, and Germinating Mung, over a period of
4 minutes.
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According to Figures 1 and 2, each species of bean displayed a positive increase in CO2

concentration over the period of 4 minutes. Germinating mung beans, as displayed by the blue

line in Figures 1 and 2, obtained the largest CO2 concentration out of all 5 species tested during

each trial. Lima beans, especially as displayed by the green line in Figure 1, started at the lowest

CO2 concentration during data collection. Over the entire data collection period of 4 minutes,

cranberry beans, displayed by the red line in Figures 1 and 2, obtained the lowest CO2

concentration out of all the species of beans tested.

While comparing trials 1 and 2, the germinating mung beans, as displayed in Figure 2,

had a much larger increase in CO2 concentration, reaching a peak of 4680 ppm as compared to

the germinating mung beans displayed in Figure 1, reaching a peak of only 2558 ppm. The

cranberry beans, as displayed in Figure 1, collected the lowest amount of CO2 concentration over

the 4-minute period, of only 1034 ppm, as compared to the CO2 concentration displayed in

Figure 2, with a total of 1109 ppm.

Discussion

The hypothesis that based upon the species of beans, as the size of the bean increases, the

CO2 output will increase was not supported by this data, as the average CO2 output levels were

listed from greatest to least respectively: germinating mung beans, 2461.48 ppm; chick pea

beans, 967.44 ppm; lima beans, 920.58 ppm, black beans, 868.94 ppm, and cranberry beans,

813.68 ppm. Yet, the size of the species of beans are listed from largest to smallest, respectively:

lima beans, cranberry beans, chick pea beans, black beans, and germinating mung beans.

Therefore, there is no correlation from the size of the species of beans to the levels of CO2

output. However, the varying species of beans did produce different levels of CO2 output,
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therefore indicating that the type of bean species does influence the amount of CO2 concentration

produced.

Possible errors that occurred while conducting the experiment may have resulted from the

chamber not being aired out enough between each new trial. Therefore, this may have caused the

previous amounts of cellular respiration from the prior bean species to remain within the

chamber when the new bean species was being tested, causing a misreading on the CO2

concentration levels. Also, if water droplets were left within the chamber from rinsing and

washing out the different bean species trials when a new test was conducted, the CO2

concentration levels would also produce a misreading.

The amount of starch within each species of bean will have a likely effect on the levels of

CO2 concentration output. As indicated in a study conducted by the Department of Botany, and

the Department of Chemistry, from Panjab University in Chandigar, India, scientists grew mung

beans over the course of 10 weeks, varying the type of starch and glucose levels produced by the

bean plants through a system of hydroponics. It was determined that after the 10 weeks, the

plants that increased the levels of glucose and starch also increased their CO2 output from 0.5

ppm to 0.75 ppm, and indirectly increased the amount of chlorophyll generated within each bean

plant (Malik, et al. 2011). While the experiment preformed in the Arizona State University

Laboratory did not purposefully increase the amount of glucose and starch levels produced by

the bean plants as the Panjab University Laboratory did, it provides an explanation as to how the

bean species vary in CO2 output. Due to the different biological and chemical make ups of the 5

bean species tested, each bean cell may contain different amounts of glucose, starch, and

chlorophyll than others, therefore creating more or less CO2 output.

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If this experiment was to be reconducted, instead of testing the effect of the different

species of beans on their CO2 output, one could test if different types of vegetables influence the

CO2 output, varying from corn, potatoes, and peas, which are high in starch, to peppers, lettuce,

and broccoli which are less starchy, to then test the effect of the levels of starch on the CO2

output as well, and further test the experiment conducted by the Panjab University Laboratory.

One could also test if plants that were grown indoors with no natural lighting influenced the CO2

levels when compared to plants that were grown outdoors with natural lighting from the sun.

This may affect the speed and functionality of the chlorophyll within the plants, which could

then directly affect their ability of cellular respiration and in turn their CO2 output levels.

The type of bean species used within this experiment did influence the levels of CO2

output, however, their size in relation to one another was not the cause of variation, as there was

no correlation from the beans size to their levels of CO2 output. The germinating mung beans

had the highest average level of CO2 output, of 2461.48 ppm, and the cranberry beans had the

lowest average level of CO2 output, of 813.68 ppm. Cellular respiration occurs in all living

things, and is responsible for the success and stability of life on this planet.
 Weidenbach 8

References

Arroyo, Juan P, and Adam J Schweickert. Chapter 1 Cellular Respiration and Diffusion.

Back to Basics in Physiology, O2 and CO2 in the Respiratory and Cardiovascular

Systems, Academic Press, 2015, pp. 118, www.sciencedirect.com.ezproxy1.lib.asu.

edu/science/ article/pii/B9780128017685000010.

Biology 181 Laboratory Exercises For General Biology I 6th Edition: Arizona State University

School of Life Sciences. Hayden McNeil, 2016.

Kondrashina, Alina V, et al. Comparison of the Three Optical Platforms for Measurement of

Cellular Respiration. Analytical Biochemistry, vol. 468, 1 Jan. 2015, pp. 13.,

doi:10.1016/j.ab.2014.09.001.

Malik, J A, et al. Promotion of Growth in Mungbean (Phaseolus Aureus Roxb.) by Selenium Is

Associated with Stimulation of Carbohydrate Metabolism. Biological Trace Element

Research, vol. 143, no. 1, Oct. 2011, pp. 530539., www-scopus-

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