CIRAS-3 Operation Manual V. 1.09  159  support@ppsystems.com 
 
Summary of the Gas Exchange Equations Used in CIRAS-3 
Mass Flow Equation 
 
Calculate the mass flow of air (W) entering the cuvette per unit leaf area 
(1.1)  The CIRAS-3 mass flowmeter is calibrated to read the volume flow (V
0
) at 0 °C and 1013.25 mb.  
The Ideal Gas molar volume is 22.414 L mol
-1
 at 0 °C and 1013.25 mb (STP).  Therefore: 
(
)
= 
 × 
 × 
.
× 
 
Where: a is projected leaf area (cm
2 
converted to m
2
).  V
0
 is converted above to cc sec
-1
, but displayed by 
CIRAS-3 as cc min
-1
. 
Transpiration 
 
Calculate transpiration rate (E) from the partial pressures of water vapor of the air entering (e
in
) and 
exiting (e
out
) the cuvette 
(2.1)  The molar flow of water vapor (mol m
2
 s
-1
) into the cuvette is: 
 × 
 
(2.2)  The molar flow of air out of the cuvette (due to the addition of transpired water vapor) is (W+E).  
Therefore, the molar flow of water vapor out of the cuvette is: 
(
 + 
)
× 
 
(2.3)  However, the difference between the molar flows into and out of the cuvette must equal the 
transpiration, so: 
= 
(
 + 
)
× 
   × 
 
(2.4)  Therefore: 
(
)
= 
 ×
(
 
)
(
  
)
 ×