An organism is sealed in a chamber. Scientist measure the amount of carbon dioxide and oxygen in the chamber. In 3-5 sentences explain how they can use the volumes of these gases to determine if photosynthesis or cellular respiration is occurring in the chamber

1 answer

Scientists can determine whether photosynthesis or cellular respiration is occurring in the chamber by measuring the relative changes in the volumes of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and oxygen (O₂). During photosynthesis, the organism, usually a plant, consumes CO₂ and produces O₂, so an increase in O₂ and a decrease in CO₂ would indicate photosynthesis is taking place. Conversely, during cellular respiration, the organism consumes O₂ and produces CO₂, leading to a decrease in O₂ and an increase in CO₂. By analyzing these gas volume changes over time, scientists can infer whether the organism is primarily performing photosynthesis or cellular respiration.