Respirometry

Respirometry is a very big word that means we are going to look at how alive things breathe. Did you know that just like people need air to breathe, other living things also need air to survive? Respirometry helps scientists measure how much air living things use when they are breathing.

Scientists use respirometry to study different living things, like fish, bugs or even tiny cells that we can't see. It helps them understand how these things use energy and grow, just like how you grow taller and learn new things when you eat good food and exercise.

When scientists do respirometry, they take a small sample of the living thing and put it in a special container. This container has a little hole where the living thing can breathe in and out. Then the scientists measure how much air is going in and out of the container.

By measuring how much air is used, scientists can understand how much energy the living thing needs. This is like how you measure how much water you drink to stay healthy. Scientists can use this information to learn more about how different living things work and how they are affected by changes in their environment.