Aerobic and Anaerobic respiration

• Energy is used for many processes:

  • contraction of muscle cells for movement
  • active transport of molecules and ions
  • making karge molecules (building proteins from amino acids)
  • cell division
  • breaking down smaller molecules during digestion
  • to maintain a constant body temperature
• respiration is an exothermic chemical reaction which releases energy from glucose
• respiration takes place in the mitochondria of plant, animal, and yeast cells
• there are 2 types of respiration, aerobic and anaerobic
• aerobic respiration is a chemical reaction which releases energy from glucose when there is lots of oxygen available
• aerobic respiration uses 2 reactants, glucose and oxygen, and gives off 2 waste products, carbon dioxide and water
• aerobic respiration produces lots of energy
• anaerobic means without oxygen
• anaerobic respiration takes place when vigorous exercise is carried out and your cells run our of oxygen
• anaerobic respiration releases much less energy per glucose molecule, but it provides enough energy to keep overworked muscles going for a short period
• glucose is only partially broken down and lactic acid is also produced in anaerobic respiration
• the lactic acid (lactate) builds up in the muscles and leads to cramp
• after the exercise the lactic acid is respired aerobically in the mitochondria
• the volume of oxygen needed to completely oxidise the lactic acid that builds up in the body during anaerobic respiration is called the oxygen debt
• in animal cells and some bacteria, lactic acid is produced, in plant cells and some microbes including yeast, ethanol and carbon dioxide is produced