Question

Suppose that a leaf disk that has had the air sucked out is placed in bicarbonate solution under a dim light that results in a low rate of photosynthesis that just equals the rate of cellular respiration. Would you expect this leaf disk to float? Explain why or why not.

Answer 1

The answer is; NO

This is because the leaf would not have tiny oxygen bubbles spread across its base (because the base is where most stomata are) that would help it float on the water. The reason is that the oxygen produced in the process of photosynthesis would be consumed in respiration because the rates of the two biochemical processes are the same.