what reaction causes fruit to ripen in a paper bag?

Answer 1

As others have noted it traps a gas emitted by the fruit, which is a plant hormon that causes ripening. The gas is ethylene.

Wikipedia has more details:

Stages of a plant's life are influenced by hormones. An important plant hormone involved with ripening is the chemical ethylene, a gas created by plants from the amino acid methionine. Ethylene causes increased levels of certain enzymes in fruit and fresh-cut products, which include:

Amylase, which breaks down starch to produce simple sugars, and

Pectinase, which breaks down pectin, a substance that keeps fruit hard.

Answer 2

The gas that ripening fruit releases is ethylene. By placing fruits in a paper bag, this traps in the ethylene which speeds up the process of ripening.

Answer 3

I don't know, but if you put a banana in the bag with the other fruit, it really ripens quickly.

Answer 4

its a gas that the fruit gives off that helps it ripen. Can't remember what it is.

Answer 5

fruit releases gas which is trapped in the bag and quickens the process. When grocery stores get bananas shipped in they are bright green and they gas them on site so they are perfectly ripe (or not so much so, but they are close.) You use the paper bag to avoid mold.

Answer 6

It seem like and easy question. But we all should know that heat can spoil a human as well as a plant. An could we suffer witoht air. Naturally no!

Answer 7

Think it has something to do with methane gas.

Answer 8

heat

Answer 9

Uh I say no air???