A student creates a model of a closed ecosystem by filling a glass tank half full with water, then adding 10 snails and two small aquatic plants. The next
day, all the snails are dead. What is the most likely cause of their death?
A. The rates of cellular respiration and photosynthesis in the tank
were both too high.
B. The rates of cellular respiration and photosynthesis in the tank
were both too low.
O C. The rate of cellular respiration in the tank was much higher than
the rate of photosynthesis.
D. The rate of photosynthesis in the tank was much higher than the
rate of cellular respiration.
SUBMIT
e
PREVIOUS

C. The rate of cellular respiration in the tank was much higher than

the rate of photosynthesis

Explanation:

In nature, cellular respiration and photosynthesis are opposite metabolic reactions. Cellular respiration, which is the process of releasing energy, requires oxygen while photosynthesis, which is the process of manufacturing foods by green plants, releases oxygen into the atmosphere. The two equations are as follows:

Photosynthesis:

6CO2 + 6H2O → C6H1206 + 6O2 (oxygen released)

Respiration:

C6H1206 + 6O2 (oxygen used) → 6CO2 + 6H2O

According to this question, 10 snails and two small aquatic plants were added to a closed glass tank half full with water. It was observed that all the snails died. This is most likely due to the fact that the rate of cellular respiration in the tank was much higher than the rate of photosynthesis.

In other words, the usage of oxygen via cellular respiration was much higher than the release of oxygen via photosynthesis.

vanderwaal's forces of attraction are the electrostatic intermolecular forces that exist in a molecule due to the temporary or permanent dipoles that are developed in a molecule. in , the major intermolecular forces are dipole-dipole interactions as the molecule is polar (bent structure). so the vanderwaal's forces of interaction in between molecules are the permanent dipole-dipole interactions that develop due to the dipole that exists in between the polar h - s bond. the positively charged hydrogen atom is attracted towards the negative end of the dipole that is sulfur of the adjacent molecule. therefore, these forces of attraction are relatively stronger than that of london dispersion forces that exist in non polar molecules.