Lulia Araha,

Ericka Alvarado,
Karla Hernandez

How Does Temperature Affect The Respiration

Rate of a Goldfish?
Cellular Respiration is the process by which organisms convert food into chemical
energy. This process requires oxygen. In cellular respiration, six molecules of glucose
22(C6H12O6) react with six molecules of oxygen (O2) to form six molecules of carbon dioxide
(CO2), six molecules of water (H2O), and 36 molecules of ATP. However, other forms of
respiration are anaerobic respiration. This process does not require oxygen. Respiration can be
simply defined as the process by which organisms take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide.
Fish live and breathe underwater.The lungs of mammals would not work very well for a
fish, because one breath underwater would fill them with fluid and make them useless. Inside
water, there is dissolved oxygen. In order for them to breathe the oxygen in the water, they rely
on gills instead of lungs. Goldfish take in the water through their mouth and expel it through their
gills. The average goldfishs temperature should remain between 18-20degrees celsius
because a fish is a cold-blooded animal meaning its temperature depends on its environment.

Hypothesis
If the temperature increases, then the rate of respiration will increase.

Materials

Procedures

Thermometer
water
hot
cold (ice)
room temperature
Goldfish
2 beakers
Timer
Hot plate

1. Place the goldfish in a room temperature water, then let the fish calm down in its
new environment
2. Then, count how many breaths it takes in a minute.
3. Put ice in the room temperature water to get it to be 13-20C. Use a thermometer
to measure the temperature of the water
4. When the temperature of the water is right, let the fish calm down, then count
how many breaths it takes per minute.
5. Then put more ice to get the water to be 6-12 C. measure the temperature of the
water using the thermometer.
6. When the temperature is right, place the fish in there, then count how many
breaths it takes per minute.
7. Place the beaker on a hot plate and let it sit until the water is about 28C, then
turn off the hot plate. If the temperature gets too high, take the beaker off the the hot
plate. If the water starts to cool down, then slowly turn the hot plate up.
8. Let the fish calm down in the water
9. Count how many breaths the fish takes in one minute
10. Add the information to the table and average it

Results

Temperature

Trail 1

Trail 2

Trail 3

(breaths/minute)

(breaths/minute)

(breaths/minute)

6-12 C
13-20C
21-25 C (room)
28 C

102

Average