Primary productivity lab question

Question

We planted grass in class, half covered with aluminum foil and another half with nothing. We left it grow for a week and measured the biomass in both.

 

I was actually expecting that the covered ones would have lower biomass because they do more respiration, but the uncovered ones had lower biomass. We measured it in ceveral different ways but the results were same. Why does it happen?

Answer 1

The objective of this work is to investigate the production of hydrogen as an energy source by means of the reaction of aluminum with water. This reaction only occurs in the presence of NaOH and KOH, which behave as catalysts. The main advantages of using aluminum for indirect energy storage are: recyclability, non-toxicity and easiness to shape.

 

Hydrogen is necessary for building sugars and building the plant. It is obtained almost entirely from water. Hydrogen ions are imperative for a proton gradient to help drive the electron transport chain in photosynthesis and for respiration.

 

I hope that helps.