Biology
Respiratory Quotient
Calculate the respiratory quotient for a respiratory substrate.
RQ = CO₂ Released / O₂ Consumed
Formula Explanation
RQ compares carbon dioxide produced with oxygen consumed over the same period.
Variables Explained
CO₂ released = Volume of carbon dioxide produced; O₂ consumed = Volume of oxygen used.
Solved Example
An organism releases 6 mL CO₂ and consumes 6 mL O₂. Find RQ.
RQ = 6/6 = 1.