Education and demonstration – Science
Patent
1989-01-26
1990-07-03
Apley, Richard J.
Education and demonstration
Science
734321, 47 60, 435291, C12M 136
Patent
active
049386999
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to an apparatus to detect exchanges through the cut end of a plant branch, for experimental purposes, most often for educational purposes. The invention relates particularly to photosynthesis apparatus and potometers.
A photosynthesis apparatus is known comprising a tank of the test tube type intended to contain a branch of an aquatic plant such as the Elodea canadensis, whose cut end is directed upward. This end is received in the mouth, descending into the tank, of a gas release tube directed upward to pipe and trap the gas bubbles emitted by the cut end of the stem when the branch is suitably illuminated. For this purpose, the tank is transparent.
Setting up the experiment with this apparatus is particularly laborious. For the gas release to be able to be seen and isolated in the tube, it is necessary for the tube to be initially filled with liquid by purging the air with a syringe. As the air initially contained in the tube is purged, some liquid is sucked from the tank and therefore its level has to be topped off to keep the mouth of the tube immersed. After that, the plant branch has to be put into the tank, which is difficult. Access to the tank is made difficult by the presence of the tube. The agitation that results on the surface of the liquid in the tank risks allowing entry of air into the tube, which would make it necessary to restart the purging. Further, it is necessary for the cut end of the Elodea branch to remain engaged in the input funnel of the tube. If this is lacking, the gas release would escape into the open air by the surface of the bath instead of being piped into the tube. It would be possible to consider sinking the branch deeply into the funnel to be held there by friction, but then the mouth of the tube would be blocked, which would prevent the gas release from occuring since the liquid initially contained in the tube, prevented from returning into the tank, would not leave any place for the gas.
Device for measuring the absorption of water by a plant, or potometer, are also known. These known apparatus also present a problem of purging, besides bulk and great fragility due to a U-shaped tube.
The object of the invention is to remedy these drawbacks by proposing an apparatus of the photosynthesis or potometer apparatus type that is very easy to use.
The invention thus relates to an apparatus to detect exchanges through the cut end of a plant branch, comprising a tank, a transit tube connected by a first end with the tank and one of whose ends at least is intended to receive the cut end of a plant branch.
According to the invention, a second end of the tube is associated with means able to contain a liquid, the transit tube establishing, at least in the abscence of the branch, a vessel link connecting the tank and means able to contain a liquid.
Thus, purging the tube is performed in a very simple way by filling the tank so that the liquid also fills the means for containing a liquid, by a transit tube. For a photosynthesis experiment it then suffices to place the plant branch in the tank with its cut end engaged in the transit tube. This operation does not pose any difficulties for two reasons. On the one hand, instead of being directed upward, the mouth of the transit tube, to establish said connecting vessel link, is in a position allowing free access by the top of the tank. On the other hand, according to the invention nothing prevents engaging the cut end of the branch in the mouth like a plug, of course, without compressing it too much. The gas release will occur nevertheless freely toward means suited to contain a liquid, which can consist of an end of the tube curved upward or of a so-called "release" tank.
If it is desired not only to verify the gas release but also to collect it, a test tube, for example, is used which is filled with water and which is plugged with the finger before turning it upside down and plunging its mouth, thus blocked, into the release tank, after which the finger is removed from said opening to engage it on the outlet (
REFERENCES:
patent: 4314029 (1982-02-01), Ohtake et al.
Apley Richard J.
Healey Rachel M.
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