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EXPERIMENT 3.5
What does cellular respiration
produce?
EXPERIMENT 3.5

What does cellular respiration produce?

5

Aim

Leave the apparatus set up in a warm place overnight. An

incubator set at 37C can be used. If an incubator is used,
put test tube racks in a tray because the yeast may leak
out of the test tube.

To determine what is produced in cellular

respiration.

Materials
Test tube rack

3 test tubes

Yeast

Sugar

Stirring rod

Incubator (set at 37C)

One-hole rubber stopper with glass connection

to flexible tubing about 20 cm long

Wear safety goggles and lab coats.

Practical hints

Results

Fresh yeast is recommended.

Record your observations. Distilled water and bromothymol

blue indicator is blue in colour and is slightly alkaline (base).
Carbon dioxide gas is slightly acidic. Bromothymol blue
indicator will change to either green or yellow in the presence
of an acid.

Unless it is a very warm night (over 37C),

put the apparatus in an incubator. Yeast will
respond poorly to cold temperatures and very
hot temperatures.

Distilled water and bromothymol blue indicator

Discussion
Method
1

To a test tube add half a large spatula each of

yeast and of sugar, and 20 mL of warm (not hot)
distilled water. Stir gently.

Into the second test tube add 20 mL of distilled

water and a few drops of bromothymol blue
indicator.

Set up the apparatus by connecting the rubber

stopper and tubing to the yeast mix (ensure
no leaks) and connecting the outlet hose so
that it is under the level of distilled water and
bromothymol blue indicator.

Set up a third test tube of distilled water

and bromothymol blue indicator that is not
connected to the yeast.

Safety

Compare and contrast your observations between the test

tube of bromothymol blue indicator and distilled water
connected to the yeast and the unconnected bromothymol
blue indicator and distilled water, drawing on your
understanding of the reactants and products of respiration and
limewater. Consider the following in your discussion:

Too much yeast and sugar will cause the mix to

overreact and create a mess by leaking. Make sure
the students use the required amounts and no more.

t
What was the purpose of the third test-tube that was not
connected to the yeast?

Lab tech notes

t
What happened to the test tube containing bromothymol

blue indicator and distilled water that was connected to the
yeast?

Bromothymol blue for detecting CO2 should be

a blue colour. It has a tendency to fade to a green
or yellow colour over time. If this has happened,
pour it into a beaker on a magnetic stirrer and add
0.1M sodium hydroxide dropwise until the colour
returns to blue.

t
Why was bromothymol blue indicator used?

t
Was there any evidence of water being produced? Explain.
t
What process was happening in the yeast cells? Write an
equation for this process.
t
How could this experiment be modified to test the effects
of plants?

Clean-up
Fig 3.27 Sunlight is essential to photosynthesis.

Wash everything with hot soapy water, rinse with

fresh water and allow to dry.

What do you know about fuels for life?

Expected results
1

Where does photosynthesis occur?

Explain why cellular respiration constantly happens in cells.

What is the source of energy for cellular respiration?

Write a general equation for cellular respiration.

What are the raw materials needed for photosynthesis?

How do they enter the plant?

Draw a flow diagram showing the inputs and outputs of respiration.

The test tube with the yeast in it should have

frothed, which shows that the yeast is active and
carbon dioxide gas is being produced.

UNIT 3.3
t HOW DO CHEMICAL REACTIONS AFFECT OUR LIVES?

C6H12O6 + 6O2 6CO2 + 6 H2O

5 This experiment can be modified to test for
cellular respiration in a water plant such as
elodea. Instead of the test-tube with yeast,
elodea and water can be added. When grown
in the dark (no photosynthesis) the plant will
respire, producing carbon dioxide and changing
the bromothymol blue to yellow. This can be
contrasted to elodea grown in light (which will
use the carbon dioxide to produce glucose). As
a result the bromothymol blue will not change
colour.

89

ensure that the bromothymole blue does not

change over time. This reinforces that it is the gas
produced by the yeast that causes the change in
colour.
2 The bromothymol blue should have changed
from a light blue to a yellow colour.
3 Condensation can often be found in the tubing
between the two test tubes. This is an indication
that water was formed as part of the respiration
reaction and condenses on the inside of the
cooler tubing.
4 Cellular respiration;

The test tube with the water and bromothymol

blue (base) in it should have changed from blue
to either green or yellow, depending on how
much carbon dioxide gas was produced. The
carbon dioxide gas is a weak acid.

Discussion
1 The third test tube of water and bromothymol
blue (unconnected to the yeast mixture) is to

obook
ID03.13 Weblink: Photosynthesis
Interactive task that takes a closer look at
the oxygen/carbon cycle and the process
of photosynthesis