Final answer:
The respirometer was left for 10 minutes to allow for equilibration, ensuring accurate oxygen consumption measurements by stabilizing the temperature and pressure. Potassium hydroxide (KOH) is often used in such setups to absorb carbon dioxide, assuring that volume changes reflect only oxygen use.
Step-by-step explanation:
The respirometer was left for 10 minutes before the student took any measurements in the study of respiration rates in maggots to allow for equilibration. This waiting period ensures that the maggots and the respirometer's environment reach a steady state where temperature and atmospheric pressure inside the respirometer are stable. This stabilization is crucial for obtaining accurate and consistent measurements of the oxygen consumption which is indicative of the rate of respiration.
To ensure accuracy when measuring respiration, it's necessary to account for the fact that as organisms consume oxygen, they produce carbon dioxide. Therefore, to provide accurate measurements of oxygen consumption, a substance like potassium hydroxide (KOH) would be added to the respirometer setup. KOH absorbs the carbon dioxide produced during respiration, thus ensuring that any changes in gas volume are due to oxygen consumption alone.
In Biology experiments like these, waiting times and calibration are essential for reducing variables that could affect the data. This experimental approach aligns with the scientific method, as seen in historical experiments such as Francesco Redi's work on spontaneous generation, where careful setup and control of variables were key to the conclusion.