Seeds contain a plant embryo and its initial food supply protected by a seed coat. When warmth and moisture conditions are favorable, germination, or sprouting, will begin. When you soak pea seeds for this laboratory, germination begins. Enzymes begin using the stored food supply to generate ATP, and the rate of cellular respiration accelerates.

It is important to know that nongerminating seeds are not dead; they are dormant. Do they respire?

Return to Assembling the Respirometer.