Potometer Flashcards

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1
Q

What is a potometer?

A

A piece of equipment used to investigate the rate of transpiration of a plant

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2
Q

Does the potometer actually measure rate of transpiration?

A

No, measures water uptake
However these values are very similar: as a very small amount of water from water uptake by plant is taken into cells, as the rest is evaporated in transpiration

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3
Q

Why do we cut the stem of the plant we are measuring the rate of transpiration of?

A

To prevent air from entering xylem and at a slant (to increase the surface area)

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4
Q

Potometer apparatus

A

Capillary tube with scale
Into a beaker of water
Attached to a reservoir of water with a tap
Attached to place with stem

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5
Q

Why do we assemble the potometer apparatus underwater?

A

To ensure no air bubbles enter

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6
Q

What does the reservoir and tap do?

A

Supplies more water to restart the measurement: pushes air bubble back

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7
Q

What is important to let plant do?

A

Equilibrate to these new conditions to measure true rate of transpiration under the new manipulated conditions by drying leaves

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8
Q

How do we use the potometer to measure rate of transpiration?

A

Introduce an air bubble into the tube by lifting capillary tube from water beaker
Recording the distance it travelled/ area of tube it travelled within the tub per given time

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9
Q

How to find volume of water air bubbled?

A

By calculating the area of the capillary tube it travelled as if it were a cylinder

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