2.37 describe experiments to investigate the evolution of carbon dioxide and heat from respiring seeds or other suitable living organisms

Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide can be tested using an indicator. Here's how its done...

- Soak some dried beans in water for a day (to start the germination process, as germinating beans will respire)
- Boil the same amount of beans (that are similar sized). This will kill the beans, ensuring they can not respire
- Put hydrogen-carbonate indicator in two test tubes
-  Place a platform made of gauze into each test tube and place the beans on this platform
- Seal the test tubes with a bung (to ensure no gas escapes)
- Leave the apparatus for 1 hour (or a set length of time)

Conclusion - if all goes well, the hydrogen-carbonate indicator in the germinating seeds test tube should have gone yellow (as the seeds produced CO2) whereas there should be no change to the dead seed test tube.

NOTE: the dead beans will act as a control

Heat
Respiration gives of heat. Heres how to measure it...
- Soak some dried beans in water for a day (to start the germination process, as germinating beans will respire)
- Boil the same amount of beans (that are similar sized). This will kill the beans, ensuring they can not respire
- Add each set of beans to a vacuum flask. Ensure there is air in the flask so the beans can respire aerobically
- Place a thermometer into each flask and seal the top with cotton wool
- Record the temperature of each flask everyday for 1 week

Conclusion - if all goes well, the germinating beans respire and produce heat, therefore, the temperature of the germinating flask will increase compared to the temperature of the dead flask.

NOTE: the dead beans flask is the control flask