Virgin Fortuna, et al / Journal of Biology Education 7 (1) (2018) :

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Unnes.J.Biol.Educ. 9 (1) (2020)

Journal of Biology Education

http://journal.unnes.ac.id/sju/index.php/ujbe
Alternative Potassium Hydroxide (KOH) in O2 Absorption in Respiration
Experiments
VIRGIN FORTUNA

1
Biology Department, FMIPA, Universitas Negeri Semarang, Indonesia
Article Info Abstract
Article History: Abstract: In animal physiology teaching the gas exchange process
frequently must be proved through an experiment. For the consumed
Received : 15
gas is often measured the gas remain of metabolism; a greenhouse gas
November 2020
which is mixed with oxygen within the tube must be fixed. To mend CO2
Accepted : 16 November
from respiration substance frequently used is potash (KOH). This
2020
research was conducted from January until February 2016 within the
Published : 19 November
Zoology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics
2020
and
Natural Science, University of Lampung. The target of this research
was to grasp the sorts of KOH wrapping material that would provide

Keywords: stabile oxygen consumption rate in respiration experiment. The method

respiration, carbon used was completely randomized design with 6 treatments and three
dioxide, KOH, oxygen, replications. KOH wrapped with newspaper, cotton, HVS paper, filter
wrapping material paper, tissue, and with nylon. Analysis of variance showed that there was
no significant difference within the effect of style of wrapping material
in oxygen
consumption rate. However, obviously cotton and nylon provided the
average of oxygen consumption rate beyond newspaper, HVS paper,
tissue, and paper. It absolutely was concluded that oxygen consumption
rate by tested animal within the respiration experiment was more
determined by
the observation time instead of the kind of KOH wrapping material.

© 2018 Universitas Negeri Semarang

Address Correspondence: p-ISSN 2252-6579
D6 Building 1st Floor Jl Raya Sekaran Gunungpati Semarang
E-mail:virginfortuna05@gmail.com
e-ISSN 2540-833X
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INTRODUCTION

Biology as a natural science discipline is perceived and is not easy to understand or mastered by
students. The material in Biology learning consists of: a. Several facts, concepts, and principles. Facts
lead students to observe an object/phenomena to produce concrete knowledge. This principle shows
how the object/phenomenon occurs when a concept denotes a mental abstraction of an object or
phenomenon. One of the ingredients which contain concepts that are found difficult for teachers and
students to understand the material respiration. Basically, the material on respiration invites students
to understand how living things breathe to exchange air to carry out their daily activities. Based on
Some scientists, the concept of respiration is important in biology. Great principle The abstract and
complex concept of the respiration process must be able to direct that knowledge Students must be
conceptual (abstract) to be transformed into factual (concrete). Several studies on the concept of
respiration prove that there are still moderate students confused and misunderstanding. Confusion and
misconception about the concept of respiration found in junior high school students, high school
students, student level, and to prospective teachers. One learning strategy that is considered to be able
to assist students in developing conceptual mastery. The specific learning strategies referred to are the
Practicum method, the Presentation, and Discussion method. First, the integrated practicum aims to
produce many facts related to the concept of respiration. Second, in the presentation-discussion
activity, cognitive sharing of the facts is aimed at equalizing and consolidate the concept of
respiration. Presentation-discussion objectives aim to equalize and solidify the concept of respiration
holistically. This strategy is expected to reduce student misunderstanding
The use of KOH needs to consider its impact on the environment and health because KOH is a strong
base that has various risks of dangers such as: corrosive, irritation to the skin, eyes, and digestive tract.
In KOH mice cause death with LD50 values of 365, 273, and 1230 mg/kg BW / day (OECD SIDS,
2002) So far, in laboratory respiration experiments, the KOH packaging material used is cotton with
the aim that the test animals do not come into direct contact with KOH and the test animals can breathe
in O2 from outside and the CO2 released can be bound by KOH. In this study, the authors tried to find
several alternatives to KOH wrapping materials as a substitute for cotton in respiration experiments
that could provide maximum, safe, and inexpensive results without reducing the effectiveness of
animal respiration experiments in practicum (Wikipedia, Indonesia).

RESEARCH METHOD

The research method used is the experimental method. The subjects in this study were 30 students of
class XI at a school in the city of Semarang. The existence of Student Worksheets This aims to develop
conceptual mastery of respiration material. In the second stage, two methods The learning applied is
the presentation and discussion method. This method aims to discuss findings or facts from the
practicum activities that are owned by what students have done before, so that there are similarity and
stability in the mastery of concepts. That demonstration method aims to develop students' higher-order
thinking skills. Through respiration, students are trained in analyzing and evaluating the activities
undertaken. This method of presentation and discussion aims to discuss the results of observations.
This method was chosen by the researcher as a guide to students to connect all the information that has
been obtained into one concept of respiration.

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RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Observation table

No Type of Minute Minut Minute Minute Minut Range V

treatment ke-2 e ke-4 ke-6 ke-8 e ke- Skala
10
1. 0,653 gram 0 0 0,1 0,3 0,5 - 0,0018
KOH/NaOH
Minute Minut Minute Minute Minut
ke-6 e ke- ke-18 ke-24 e ke-
12 30
2. 0,587 gram 0 0,001 0,002 0 0,001 - 0,000027
tanpa
KOH/NaOH

No Type of treatment Minut Minute Minute Minute Minute Respiration

e ke-2 ke-4 ke-6 ke-8 ke-10 rate
1. +KOH/NaOH 0,025 0,022 0,021 0,022 0,02 0,0222
2. -KOH/NaOH 0,005 0,012 0,015 0,015 0,015 0,0124

Respiration in animals indicates that animals need oxygen. This experiment by adding KOH. The
function of the addition of KOH is to binder the gas resulting from respiration from the crickets,
namely CO2 gas that is exhaled into the TespiromEtet room. In large crickets, the need for 02 0va
increases. The use of eosin can be used to show the scale oxygen used in the cricket respiration
process. Factors that influence the process of respiration are gender, altitude, oxygen, temperature, and
body weight. Male crickets have a larger body posture than females because KOH is hydrophilic, so
the H20 from respiration will be absorbed by KOH. KOH is coated with a tissue so that the caustic
properties of KOH do not have an effect on the life in the tube when doing expiration, CO2 and
crickets metabolic waste will be bound by KOH to become K2c03 and H20. The reaction ... CO2 has
the largest volume because it is a gas. Meanwhile, k2C03 is solid. As a result, the volume of C02 in the
tube containing crickets will decrease because the CO02 is tied to K2C03. By giving cotton aims to
separate the crickets from chemicals. Then at the end of the pipe is given eosin which is used as an
indicator as well as separating the air in the tube from the air outside the tube. Based on this group
experiment the weight or mass of the crickets affects the respiration rate. Cricket with a mass of 0.653
g Respiratory rate from the third minute to the fifth minute increased and in the second cricket which
had a lower mass, namely 0.587 g which was not given KOH, the respiratory rate was slower.

Respiration in plants indicates that plants also need oxygen in respiration. Sprouts with a smaller
number of individuals, the oxygen demand for the inhaled air is also lower or less compared to large
sprouts, which causes eosin to run slower. Sprouts with small and large amounts of diaptara can be
called a moderate amount when KOH is added to bind C02 in the tube, but the sprouts in the tube
cannot consume 02 optimally because the CO2 level in the tube is greater than 02. After all, more
individuals emit CO2 so that the required 02 increases. Therefore, the air that is inhaled on the
respirometer tube will be inhaled faster, and finally, the eosin will run faster than before every minute.
Sprouts with the greatest amount but the need for 02 of the inhaled air is also less which causes eosin to
move slowly. This is because there was an error in closing the respirator. From the experimental
results, it was found that the addition of KOH to plant respiration would result in a fast respiration rate
of d0a. If KOH or Naru was not added, the respiratory rate was slower.
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CONCLUSION

Based on the description above, it can be seen that the increase in conceptual mastery is caused by the
application of appropriate learning strategies. Through this strategy, students can understand the
concept of respiration through the discovery of lots of facts. This strategy also stimulates students to be
active. Also, the ability to think logically and reasoning can develop through activities that can be done
the ability to analyze, predict, interpret, and conclude. Application of learning strategies Requires good
time management to complete. Respiration in animals, namely crickets, proves that crickets breathe by
taking oxygen from the environment which is marked by the movement of the eosin solution. The
function of eosin is as an indicator of the oxygen inhaled by the experimental organism on the
Respiratory Respiratory in plants, namely sprouts proving that the sprouts breathe by taking oxygen
from the environment which is marked by the movement of the eosin solution. Experiments using lime
water, namely a solution of calcium hydroxide that has been diluted (slaked lime). When humans blow
CO2 into a solution, a solid precipitate of calcium carbonate will be formed. Calcium carbonate is
insoluble in water. Therefore, if the CO2 content of the lime water will turn cloudy white with calcium
carbonate particulates. The reaction that occurs is Ca (OH) 2 (aq) + CO2 (g) -> CaCO3 (s) + H2O (l). In
this experiment was not carried out Experiment using lime water tube A filled with KOH, tube B filled
with clear lime water, tube C filled with sprouts, tube D filled with clear lime water, and tube E filled
with water to the brim. In airflow, if tube D changes color to cloudy, it means that the tube inside
contains CO2 and in the experiment bottles A, B and D must come out a wave. In this experiment was
not carried out The contribution that I have made regarding the respiration process in living things is
protecting nature without cutting trees carelessly.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS (OPTIONAL)

The author would like to thank Allah SWT, sources, and parties who have supported

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using the finite baseball method. 8 (2): 95-104
Sholikah, Nur. dkk. (2018). Development of simple respirometers from recycled materials. Indonesian
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