Final answer:
To calculate the rate of aerobic respiration in mm³ of oxygen g⁻¹ h⁻¹, a student must measure the oxygen volume consumed using a respirometer and adjust for the mass of the organism and time of the experiment, taking care to account for CO₂ production.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the rate of aerobic respiration in units of mm³ of oxygen g⁻¹ h⁻¹, a student should measure the volume of oxygen consumed using a respirometer. This device allows for the determination of the rate of oxygen consumption by registering changes in gas volume as the organism respires. Typically, data would be recorded over several intervals, such as multiple five-minute trials. Additionally, to convert the measurement of oxygen consumption into the desired units, the student needs to consider the mass of the organism and the duration of the experiment.
To account for the production of carbon dioxide, which could affect the volume measurements, an absorbent material for CO₂ is often included in the setup. This ensures that only changes in oxygen levels are reflected in the volume measurements.
To express the measurements in mm³, conversions may be necessary if the initial data were collected in mL. The conversion to per gram per hour further involves adjusting for the mass of the organism in grams and the total time in hours.