KINKTICS OF UADUX'AKHOX IN( ( )IU'()1{AT1()N 



r.iKi 



ticiilar organism under specific conditions) (2), the rate constants 

 are generally unknown or only surmised. Consequently a quantita- 

 tive comparison of theoretical and experimental kinetics is not possi- 

 ble at present. By the assumption of reasonable rate constants, 

 one may derive curves which may lie compared qualitatively. From 

 Fig. 1, it is apparent that such curves would involve the solution of a 



Fig. 2. Compartmentalized scheme of the photosynthetic assimilation of radio- 

 active carbon dioxide. 



set of at least eight differential equations — a computation amenable 

 to the patience only of a differential analyzer or analog computer. 

 The mathematics involved in radioisotope incorporation may be sim- 

 plified considerably by the grouping together of various compounds, as 

 shown in Fig. 2. In this manner, one is concerned with a three-com- 

 ponent system and derives curves which represent the combined rates 

 of the individual members of the compartment. In principle, one may 

 then evaluate the individual rates by making use of the calculated 

 combined rate constant. For example, consider compartment R, con- 

 sisting of the pentose sugars in the system 



kih 



kit 



->■ A 



^ B 



-> C 



