To answer your questions about the experiment involving photosynthesis and cellular respiration, we'll operate under standard assumptions regarding plant and microbial biology in sealed environments.
PART A
In a sealed environment, the production and consumption of carbon dioxide (CO2) would depend on the processes occurring within the flasks. Generally:
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If one flask contains plants (i.e., a photosynthetic organism) and another flask contains animals (i.e., organisms engaging in cellular respiration), the flask with animals would likely show a larger amount of CO2 production after a week. This is because animals primarily produce CO2 during respiration without any means to remove CO2 from the atmosphere in a sealed container.
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A flask containing only decomposing organic matter would also likely release CO2 due to the activity of decomposers (bacteria and fungi).
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If a flask contained only light but no plants, it would remain neutral in terms of CO2, as no photosynthesis would occur.
Thus, if one flask contained animals, it is reasonable to say that the flask with animals would most likely have the largest amount of CO2 after a week.
PART B
To help reduce the amount of carbon dioxide produced from the flask identified in Part A, introducing plants (photosynthetic organisms) to the flask would significantly help. Plants use CO2 during photosynthesis, effectively reducing the concentration of CO2 in the environment. Therefore, adding plants to the flask would create a balance, as they would take in CO2 and produce oxygen, resulting in lower CO2 levels over time.
In summary:
- Part A: The flask with animals would likely have the largest amount of CO2.
- Part B: Introducing plants would help reduce the amount of CO2.
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