Respiring seeds in a thermos flask raise the temperature of their surroundings because

  • A. photosynthesis gives off heat
  • B. the seed coat is an insulator
  • C. cellulose decomposes spontaneously
  • D. respiration releases part of glucose's energy as heat

Explanation

Only a fraction of the energy released in respiration is trapped in ATP; the rest escapes as heat, which germinating seeds in bulk can visibly produce. Photosynthesis cannot occur in darkness, so warmth in a flask of seeds is respiration measured.

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