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an on
Lv 5
an on asked in Science & MathematicsBiology · 7 years ago

Why is my terrarium still alive?

Do plants suffocate or not? I made a terrarium inside a wine bottle with a small sansaveria planted inside it (snake plant). The top is sealed completely shut with a cork and the plant has no access to fresh air at all. It is 25 years old and still alive and thriving inside. Can plants suffocate or not?

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  • 7 years ago
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    Plants photosynthesise to fix carbon dioxide and water into carbohydrates and oxygen. They respire using the same process. I believe that if they're free living, they produce oxygen somewhat faster than they use it, but they can only do that as long as there's carbon dioxide to photosynthesise. But as long as it has access to light in order to photosynthesise, the plant shouldn't suffocate.

    If you could find some way of absorbing the oxygen out of the air, the plant would suffocate - but as long as it keeps recycling it's CO2 into oxygen, it won't.

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