Respiration

Respiration is the process of releasing energy from the breakdown of glucose.

What is the energy is used for?

The energy produced during respiration is used in many different ways, some examples of what it is used
for are:

- Working your muscles

- Growth and repair of cells
- Building larger molecules from smaller ones i.e. proteins from amino acids
- Allowing chemical reactions to take place
- Absorbing molecules in active transport
- Keeping your body temperature constant
- Sending messages along nerves

Types of Respiration

1. Aerobic Respiration

This type of respiration needs oxygen for it to occur.

The word equation for aerobic respiration is:

The chemical equation is:

The released energy is used to make a special energy molecule called Adenosine Tri Phosphate (ATP).
ATP is where the energy is stored for use later on by the body.

2. Anaerobic Respiration

Sometimes there is not enough oxygen around for animals and plants to respire, but they still need energy
to survive. Instead they carry out respiration in the absence of oxygen to produce the energy.

Anaerobic respiration does not require oxygen.

a) Anaerobic respiration in Plants

The oxygen supply to plants can also run out, this happens for example if the soil gets waterlogged. In
this case they have to obtain their energy via anaerobic respiration. Below is the word and chemical
equation for anaerobic respiration in plants:

Word equation

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Chemical equation

When the above reaction occurs in yeast cells it is referred to as fermentation. Fermentation is the
process used for baking bread and brewing alcohol.

Difference between aerobic and anaerobic respiration

Exercise 1.

Complete the table below on the differences between aerobic and anaerobic respiration . The first one has
already been done for you.

Aerobic respiration Anaerobic respiration

Relatively large amount of energy released Relatively small amount of energy released

To Demonstrate Alcoholic Fermentation in Yeast

- Take a test tube and add about 10 ml of 10% glucose solution in it.

- Add a pinch of dry baker's yeast into the glucose solution and cover the surface of the liquid
carefully with an oily layer to prevent the contact with air.

- The other end of the delivery tube is dipped in lime water. The whole apparatus is made air tight.

- The test tube with glucose is kept in warm water (37oC - 40oC) in a beaker.

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It is observed that after sometime, air bubbles arise and they turn the lime water milky showing that the
air evolved is carbon dioxide.

Open the cork of the test tube containing sugar and yeast. The smell of alcohol is observed.

This shows that the products of anaerobic respiration by yeast are alcohol and carbon dioxide.

b) Anaerobic respiration animals

Our muscles need oxygen and glucose to respire aerobically and produce the energy they require, these
are carried to the muscle via the blood.

During vigorous exercise our heart and lungs are not be able to get sufficient oxygen to our muscles in
order for them to respire. In this case muscles carry out anaerobic respiration.

The word equation .

Chemical equation

Anaerobic respiration is not as efficient as aerobic and only a small amount of energy is released. This is
because glucose can only be partially broken down. Lactic acid is also produced, if this builds up in the
body it stops the muscles from working and causes a cramp. To rid the body of lactic acid oxygen is
needed, the amount of oxygen required to break down the lactic acid is referred to as the oxygen debt.

So why does it take more oxygen to recover then?

 You needed to replace the oxygen the body needed but couldnt get (oxygen deficit).

 Breathing rate and heart rate are elevated to remove carbondioxdeand this needs more oxygen.

 Body temperature and metabolic rate is increased and this needs more oxygen.

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Differences between aerobic and anaerobic respiration

Aerobic respiration Anaerobic respiration

Occurs in the presence od oxygen Occurs in the absence of oxygen
Complete breakdown of organic food Complete breakdown of organic food

Releases relatively large amount of energy Releases relatively small amount of energy

Occurs in mitochondria Occurs in the cytoplasm

Waste products are carbondioxide and water. Waste products are carbondioxide and ethanol in
plants and lactic acid in animals

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Respiration experiments

1. Is energy released during respiration.

- Soak peas seeds in water

- Boil a second set of seeds.
- Wash both set of seeds with disinfectant to kill any bacteria and fungi.
- Put each set of seeds on a vacuum flask as shown.
- Note the temperature of each flask.
- Note the temperature of each flask at the end.

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2.To show uptake of oxygen during respiration

- Dip the end of capillary tube of each apparatus into oil.

- Watch the movement of oil in apparatus

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