RESPIRATION

DEFINITION
USES OF ENERGY
TYPES OF RESPIRATION: AEROBIC AND ANAEROBIC RESPIRATION
Respiration
• Respiration is a series of chemical reactions
that are controlled by enzymes.
• Occurs in all living cells
• Food is broken down to release energy
gradually.
Uses of energy:
• The energy that is released during
respiration is used for
• active transport
• moving substances within cells
 • for building up proteins from amino acids
(protein synthesis)
• cell division and growth
• muscle contraction
• transmission of nerve impulses
Respiration • maintenance of a constant body
cont… temperature
Types of respiration
• There are two types of respiration: Aerobic
respiration and anaerobic respiration.
 • Aerobic respiration refers to the chemical
reactions in cells that use oxygen to
breakdown nutrient molecules to release
energy.
Aerobic • It is the complete breakdown of glucose to
respiration release a relatively large amount of
energy for use in cell processes
• It produces carbon dioxide and water as
well as releasing useful cellular energy
• Occurs in the mitochondria of the cell
Aerobic respiration cont…
• Word equation: glucose + oxygen = carbon dioxide + water + energy
• Balanced chemical equation: C6 H12 O6 + 6 O2 6 CO2 + 6 H2 O
• A lot of energy, 2830 kJ is produced from every molecule of glucose
broken down.
Using up oxygen during respiration
• A respirometer measures the rate of respiration by finding how
quickly oxygen is taken up by respiring organisms e.g. arthropods and
germinating seeds.
Experiment 1: To investigate the uptake of oxygen by respiring germinating seeds.
 • Germinating seeds are placed in a test tube.
• The experiment is set up as shown above
To and is left for about 30 minutes.
investigate • The sodium hydroxide absorbs the carbon
dioxide given out, as fast as the seeds are
the uptake respiring.
of oxygen • Potassium hydroxide or soda lime can also
by respiring be used instead of sodium hydroxide. So
only the uptake of oxygen will affect the
germinating amount of air in the test tube.
seeds • The test tube is kept in a water bath to keep
the temperatures constant.
 • A control is set up using boiled seeds.
Result: The coloured oil drop moves quickly at
To first and then continues moving but slowly
investigate towards the left-hand side and then stops.
• That in the control moves quickly and then
the uptake stops.
of oxygen • The distance moved by the drop is longer in the
experiment than in the control.
by respiring Interpretation: In both test tubes the drop
germinating initially moves fast because of the absorption of
CO2 from the air in the test tube by the sodium
seeds cont… hydroxide, which reduces the total amount of air.
 • That in the experiment continues to move but
slowly because of further reduction in the amount
To of air due to the removal of oxygen used in
respiration.
investigate • That in the control no longer moves because the
dead seeds do not respire.
the uptake • The drop eventually stops because respiration is no
of oxygen longer occurring since all the oxygen would have
been used up.
by respiring • NB: When blow fly larvae or crickets or locusts are
germinating used instead of seeds, the experiment is left for only
a short time (10mins) because the process is faster
seeds cont… in these than in germinating seeds.
• So the animals might die of suffocation if kept for
too long in the test tube.
To
• The distance moved due to uptake of oxygen
investigate is found by subtracting the distance moved
the uptake by the drop in the control from the total
distance moved in the experiment
of oxygen • The rate of respiration is then calculated
by respiring using the formula:
germinating Distance moved (by the coloured drop due to
oxygen uptake)/Time taken.
seeds cont…
 • To investigate the effect of temperature on
the rate of respiration of germinating seeds
Experiment the respirometer is set up and the tubes
2: To submerged in a series of water baths set at
different temperatures, e.g. 10OC, 15OC,
investigate 20℃, 25℃, 30°C,350C 400C, 450C
the effect of • The seeds should be kept in the water bath
for some minutes before collecting data to
temperature ensure they get adapted to the temperature
on the rate of and for the respiration to stabilise.
respiration • Constant variables: type of seed; number of
seeds; age of seeds, time; size of containers
used should be the same for all.
 • Thus all the experiments are identical and all
variables are held constant except for the
Experiment temperatures
2: To • The rate of respiration is calculated in each
case, using the formula Distance
investigate moved/Time taken.
the effect of Results: The rate of respiration is slow at low
temperature temperatures and increases almost linearly
from 20 to 30oC since enzyme activity rises as
on the rate of temperature rises.
respiration • A slight drop to 35 0C as denaturation sets in
and drastic change from 35 to 450 C as most
enzymes have become denatured
A respirometer to investigate uptake of
oxygen by germinating seeds
Experiment 3: Is energy produced during respiration?
Is energy
• Two sets of soaked seeds are treated as
shown in the diagram
• The seeds are washed in dilute

produced disinfectant(e.g. formalin) to kill fungi or

bacteria that might be on them
• The seeds are put into vacuum flasks

during which are supported upside down so that

seeds are in contact with the
thermometer bulbs and so there is no

respiration need to completely fill the flasks with

seeds

?
• The cotton wool plugs are porous and so
will allow the carbon dioxide produced to
escape
• The temperature in each flask is recorded
after a few days
 • Results: The temperature in the flask with

Is energy
the living seeds will be 5–10 °C higher than
that of the dead seeds.
• Interpretation:

produced  The temperature rises in the live seeds

because respiration gives out energy.

during
 The dead seeds in the control do not give
out any heat.
• Conclusion: Therefore respiration gives out

respiration heat energy.

N.B

?
• Lime water, a clear, colourless solution turns
cloudy/milky when carbon dioxide is
present
• Hydrogen carbonate indicator changes
colour from red to yellow when carbon
dioxide is present
• Sodium hydroxide absorbs carbon dioxide
 • Anaerobic respiration refers to the chemical
reactions in cells that break down nutrient
molecules to release energy without using
oxygen.
ANAEROBI • Glucose is broken down to release small
C amounts of energy in the absence of oxygen.
RESPIRATI • Occurs in the cytoplasm of the cell
ON • Not very efficient since less energy is
released.
• Anaerobic respiration occurs in some
unicellular fungi, plants and muscle cells
(only for a limited time).
Anaerobic respiration in yeast

• Yeast is a single-celled fungus which can respire anaerobically to

produce alcohol (ethanol), carbon dioxide and energy.
• Word equation: Glucose alcohol (ethanol) + carbon dioxide +
energy
• Balanced chemical equation:
• C6 H12 O6 2C2 H5 O H + 2 CO2.
• Only 118kJ of energy is produced for every molecule of glucose
broken down.
• This type of anaerobic respiration is known as alcoholic fermentation.
 EXPERIMENT 4:
Does yeast produce
carbon dioxide during
fermentation?
 • Boiled water is used when making the
glucose solution.
• The yeast is added when the solution has
EXPERIMENT cooled to avoid killing it.
• Boiling drives out air from the water to
: Does yeast create anaerobic conditions.
• Liquid paraffin is added above the yeast-
produce carbon sugar solution to stop re-entry of air into
the flask.
dioxide during • Lime water or hydrogen carbonate
indicator is put in the second test tube to
fermentation? test for the presence of carbon dioxide.

Cont… • The limewater turns milky indicating the

presence of carbon dioxide from the
process of anaerobic respiration in yeast.
Anaerobic respiration in muscle cells

• Muscle cells can respire anaerobically when the supply of oxygen is in

short supply e.g. during strenuous exercise.
• Glucose is partly broken down to lactic acid (lactate) and small
quantities of energy are released.
• The energy is enough to keep the overworked muscles going for a
short period.
• Word equation: Glucose lactic acid + little energy
• Balanced chemical equation: C6 H12 O6 2C3 H6 O3
Anaerobic • Lactic acid is poisonous when it builds up
in muscles; it causes cramps and makes

respiratio the person feel tired.

• When the exercise is stopped, the lactic
acid is broken down aerobically.

n in • The amount of oxygen needed to

completely oxidize the lactic acid that
builds up in the body during anaerobic

muscle respiration is called the oxygen debt.

• (Thus the production of lactic acid shows
that the body ‘borrowed’ energy when

cells oxygen was in short supply, thus an

oxygen debt was created).
• The oxygen debt is normally paid up by

cont… increased breathing and deeper breathing

 • The lactic acid in muscles diffuses into the
blood and is transported to the liver to be

How the
broken down by aerobic respiration,
when oxygen becomes available.
• After exercise, the fast heart rate
oxygen continues, in order to transport the lactic
acid in the blood from muscles to the liver

debt is • Also the deeper breathing continues, in

order to supply oxygen for aerobic
breakdown of the lactic acid in the liver

removed. • The aerobic respiration of lactic acid in

the liver produces energy, carbon dioxide
and water vapour.
• Thus the oxygen debt is paid after the
exercise.
Compare aerobic
and anaerobic
respiration