Object:
To determine the oxygen consumption of a rat.
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Requirements:
Haldane’s respiration apparatus, moist soda lime, pumice stone socked in sulphuric acid, and a rat.
Procedure:
This apparatus is known as Haldane’s respiration apparatus and it is used to determine the rate of oxygen consumption in a small animal.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
Jars 1 and 4 contain moist soda lime for removing carbon dioxide, jars 2, 3 and 5 have pumice stone soaked in sulphuric acid for removing moisture. In the chamber rat is placed. M is a gas meter.
J is a manometer having a inverted bell jar standing in a water trough, it prevents an excess of negative pressure and indicates the pressure actually employed. P is an aspirator for drawing air through the entire apparatus.
Draw a current of air through the apparatus by means of the aspirator for a specified period of the time.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
The air entering the rat chamber has been freed of carbon dioxide and moisture by jars 1 and 2 respectively, thus the chamber receives only oxygen. This oxygen is used for respiration needs of the rat.
The rat gives out carbon dioxide and moisture into the outgoing air. Jar 3 removes the moisture, jar 4 absorbs the carbon dioxide, jar 5 is to remove any moisture gained from soda lime of jar 4.
The quantity of oxygen consumed by the rat is determined indirectly. The oxygen consumed is equal to the carbon dioxide and moisture given out.
Thus weigh jars 3, 4 and 5, and the chamber including the rat both before and after the experiment.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
The increase in weight during a specified period of time gives the quantity of oxygen consumed by the rat during that period.
To find the quantity of carbon dioxide given out by the rat weigh jar 4 before and after the experiment.