These are some rough estimates of the relationships between major parameters. We will try to derive or estimate most of them. These factors are very useful for checking answers.
1 cm^3 of cells weighs 1 gram - i.e. they weigh the same as water to a first approximation.
Algal cells are about 30% dry weight.
The dry weight of cells contains approximately 35% carbon by weight.
Chlorophyll ranges from about .5 to 5% of the dry weight of the cell.
C/Chla ratios range from by weight
35% / 0.5% = 70
35% / 5% = 7
6 just in the photosynthetic apparatus (not the entire cell C) Shuter 1979
2 mg O2 mg Chl-a^-1 hr^-1 (Reynolds 1984)
2 to 5 mmol O2 mg Chl-a^-1 hr^-1 (Kirk 1994)
5 to 35 mg O2 gram_dry_mass ^-1 hr^-1
using this higher value
35 mg O2 = 1 mmol = 12 mg C
12 mg C per gram_dry_mass ^-1 hr^-1
1 gram_dry_mass = 350 mg C
12 mg C (350 mg C_in_the_cell)^-1 hr^-1 = 0.034 specific growth rate
Respiration can be estimated as either (from Shuter 1979):
15% of mmax
0.036 * total_cell_carbon^-0.786 pgC cell^-1 hr^-1