Name: Charlene
Status: student
Grade: 9-12
Location: PA
Country: USA
Date: N/A
Question:
For my science experiment i am trying to prove that
nitrogen based fertilizer deplete carbon in plants. the only method
i could find when i researched how to measure carbon or CO2 is in a
plant is with a fyrite device. my science teacher has never even
heard of a fyrite device and i have no access to one. i simply need
to find a not to complex way of figuring out the amount of carbon or
concentration in a plant? also, is there any other way i could carry
out this experiment?
Replies:
The simplest way of comparing the amount of carbon between plants is
measuring the biomass ("weight" or mass of the plants), since the
carbon is in the form of plant starches and sugars (hydrocarbons).
A fyrite is a gas analyzer but it would seem that you want to find out
about relatively how much carbon is in the plants instead.
Anthony Brach
Missouri Botanical Garden
c/o Harvard University Herbaria
FYRITE is the trade name of a device for measuring carbon dioxide and/or
oxygen. The manufacturer is
Bacharach, Inc.
621 Hunt Valley Circle, New Kensington, PA 15068
Phone: 724-334-5000 . Fax: 724-334-5001 . Toll Free: 800-736-4666
Web: www.mybacharach.com . E-mail: help@mybacharach.com
I found an instruction manual with a Google search, but I can't verify its
appropriateness for your intended use, nor the price. Direct contact with
the manufacturer is probably your best option. There are other methods and
suppliers of carbon dioxide gas detection apparatus. For example:
However I can't tell you which method will meet your needs and pocket book.
Your best bet is a Google search on "analysis of carbon dioxide gas". You
will find a number of methods and suppliers.
NEWTON is an electronic community for Science, Math, and Computer Science K-12 Educators, sponsored and operated by Argonne National Laboratory's Educational Programs, Andrew Skipor, Ph.D., Head of Educational Programs.
