Help with the effect of Sodium Hydroxide and seed germination.

[Kroin/Hortus]

Paul Koch wrote:
> 
> I have been investigating seed's cellular resperation by doing a lab that
> required putting germinating seeds in the bottom of a test tube.  Then a
> layer of cotton was put on top of that.  On top of this, I put a thin
> layer of Sodium Hydroxide and then another layer of cotton.  I put this
> test tube upside down in a beaker of water and let it sit over night.  The
> next day I found that the amount of air in the test tube had greatly
> decreased.  I also found that the layer of Sodium Hydroxide had
> disappeared.  I know that a germinating seed takes in oxygen to preform
> areobic resperation and as a byproduct of this, Carbon Dioxide is
> produced.  But, where did the carbon dioxide go and where did the sodium
> hydroxide go?  Why didn't the carbon dioxide take up the same amount of
> space as the air the seed took in?  I would appreciate it if you could
> answer these questions and maybe go further in depth into these processes.


The experts on this topic are located at the PLANT HORMONE E-MAIL GROUP
located at
http://www.plant-hormones.bbsrc.ac.uk/

I suggest that you go to their home page and send your question to the
moderator Mr. Croker: address at the bottom of the page.

Good luck
Regards
Joel

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