Completely sealed rooms

[tansy]

Just curious.
I was wondering if a person were shut into a room that was completely airtight, would he survive if there were enough plants growing there, to transform carbon dioxide into oxygen. (Assuming also there was enough water and food for both the person and the plants to survive, and he didn't go completely mad from being incarcerated) (Don't worry, I'm not thinking of attempting to conduct such an experiment even if I could!!)
Well, just thinking about it, I suppose it would be its own little ecosystem...however, given an average size man in say, a compartment 30ft by 30ft, how many plants would it take to keep the air breathable? Or would you need a much bigger room, or maybe it could be smaller?

 

[Cabal]

Without light, this experiment would be over very quickly.

Otherwise, good question.

*ponders*

 

[tansy]

Oh yes..sorry, the room would have to contain light...but that raises another question...would any old light do, or would it have to be sunlight per se, or something approximating to sunlight?
Oh and of course, it would also probably depend on the size of the plants and things like that.

 

[Cabal]

Oh yes..sorry, the room would have to contain light...but that raises another question...would any old light do, or would it have to be sunlight per se, or something approximating to sunlight?

As long as it contains enough red and blue:

(from wiki, y-axis = level of absorption of light)

I suspect sunlight is better, but there's likely enough from in a typical fluorescent bulb.

 

[tansy]

As long as it contains enough red and blue:

(from wiki, y-axis = level of absorption of light)

Eek..that just made my brain somersault LOL.
Don't suppose if you had the wrong sort of light but shone it through a ble and red lens that would work??

 

[Freodin]

Biosphere 2 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Cabal]

Eek..that just made my brain somersault LOL.

The lines show how much light the two chlorophyll types take in depending on its colour.

Don't suppose if you had the wrong sort of light but shone it through a ble and red lens that would work??

Not really, it's probably better to keep the other colours in as I suspect there's a small chance they'll be absorbed anyway. On the whole it'll generally be of some use for the plants, just not nearly as much as the red and blue contributions. Still, I'm sure every little would help.

 

[tansy]

Biosphere 2 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Wow...thanks for that link, fascinating...there are obviously a lot of potential variables to be taken into account. But I suppose, in theory, if all the difficulties could be ironed out, then it would be possible to survive, but it would take years of research I should think to provide the optimal environment.
Just goes to show how complex the balance of nature is and how little things can upset it.

 

[tansy]

The lines show how much light the two chlorophyll types take in depending on its colour.



Not really, it's probably better to keep the other colours in as I suspect there's a small chance they'll be absorbed anyway. On the whole it'll generally be of some use for the plants, just not nearly as much as the red and blue contributions. Still, I'm sure every little would help.

Thanks...I hadn't even known there WAS more than one type of chlorophyll.
Trouble is, once one starts asking questions it leads onto heaps more questions. And then what direction to take? These answers I've been given can now take me looking into light, or looking into plants...even into cosmology!

 

[AV1611VET]

Just curious.
I was wondering if a person were shut into a room that was completely airtight, would he survive if there were enough plants growing there, to transform carbon dioxide into oxygen. (Assuming also there was enough water and food for both the person and the plants to survive, and he didn't go completely mad from being incarcerated) (Don't worry, I'm not thinking of attempting to conduct such an experiment even if I could!!)
Well, just thinking about it, I suppose it would be its own little ecosystem...however, given an average size man in say, a compartment 30ft by 30ft, how many plants would it take to keep the air breathable? Or would you need a much bigger room, or maybe it could be smaller?

B. F. Skinner might know.

 

[Freodin]

B. F. Skinner might know.

What does Skinner have to do with biology?

 

[tansy]

B. F. Skinner might know.

Sorry, I.m afraid I don't know who he is

 

[tansy]

Actually, related in a way to this question is something I've read, but forgotten the answer. Is the universe a closed system or not?

 

[Freodin]

Sorry, I.m afraid I don't know who he is

#
B. F. Skinner - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A rather famous psychologist.

 

[tansy]

#
B. F. Skinner - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A rather famous psychologist.

Ok thanks...sorry I've only really heard of Freud and the other one who slips my mind at the moment...not a Freudian slip that? LOL

I expect AV was referring to a psychologist because in the link provided above, they were also examining the effects on people when living in those sorts of environnents.

 

[AV1611VET]

Ok thanks...sorry I've only really heard of Freud and the other one who slips my mind at the moment...not a Freudian slip that? LOL

Carl Jung

I expect AV was referring to a psychologist because in the link provided above, they were also examining the effects on people when living in those sorts of environnents.

I'm sure Cabal and Split Rock will get this.

I wanna see Cabal go ballistic --

 

[tansy]

Carl Jung

That's the one

 

[Cabal]

I'm sure Cabal and Split Rock will get this.

I wanna see Cabal go ballistic --

Should I? Why? I've never heard of him.

Given your posting history however, no doubt this is another cheap attempt to score points against science.

 

[AV1611VET]

Should I? Why? I've never heard of him.

Given your posting history however, no doubt this is another cheap attempt to score points against science.

Don't disappoint me, Split Rock!

 

[Cabal]

Don't disappoint me, Split Rock!

Going to say why this is relevant? If not, I'll just [/derail].