respiration

• what is respiration?

  the process of transferring (releasing) energy from the breakdown of organic compounds (usually glucose).
• what type of reaction is respiration, and why?

  exothermic reaction, because energy is transferred to the environment. Some of this energy is transferred by heat.
• what is aerobic respiration?

  the process which happens when plenty of oxygen is available, and it's the most efficient way to transfer energy from glucose.
• what is the equation for aerobic respiration?

  • C6H12O6 + 6O2 -> 6CO2 + 6H2O
  • glucose + oxygen -> carbon dioxide + water
• what is the energy, transferred by respiration, usually used for?

  • metabolic processes such as making larger molecules from smaller ones (proteins from aminoa acids).
  • contracting muscles (in animals).
  • maintaining a steady body temperature (in mammals and birds).
• when do your muscles start respiring anaerobically as well?

  when you do really vigorous exercise, your body can't supply enough oxygen to your muscles for aerobic respiration, even though your heart rate and breathing rate and increase as much as they can.
• how is anaerobic respiration different from aerobic respiration?

  it transfers less energy than aerobic respiration so it's much less efficient. In anaerobic respiration, the glucose is only partially broke down, and lactic acid is also produced.
• what is the equation for anaerobic respiration?

  glucose -> lactic acid
• during anaerobic respiration, what happens when lactic acid builds in the muscles?

  it gets painful and leads to cramps.
• how is anaerobic respiration in plants different than to in animals?

  plants can respire without oxygen too, but they produce ethanol (alcohol) and carbon dioxide instead of lactic acid.
• what is the equation for anaerobic respiration in plants?

  glucose -> ethanol + carbon dioxide
• what is released by respiration?

  energy
• why do cells/organisms need energy for construction?

  to make larger molecules from smaller molecules. For example:

  • glucose molecules can be joined together to produce starch (in plants).
  • proteins can be made from amino acids in plants and animals.
• why do cells/organisms need energy for contraction?

  to contract the muscles of animals, allowing them to move.
• why do cells/organisms need energy for homeostasis?

  to keep the body temperature of warm-blooded animals (mammals and birds) relatively constant.
• why do cells/organisms need energy for cellular respiration?

  respiration happens in every cell of the living body. It is a universal chemical process.
• why do cells/animals need energy?

  • construction
  • contraction
  • homeostasis
  • cellular respiration
• what happens in aerobic respiration?

  glucose reacts with oxygen in the mitochondria of cells to give carbon dioxide, water, and energy.
• what happens during anaerobic respiration in animals?

  Glucose is not broken down completely, making it a less efficient way of transferring energy than aerobic respiration. In animals, glucose is converted into to lactic acid. Glucose -> lactic acid
• when does anaerobic respiration happen in animals?

  when insufficient oxygen reaches the muscles during periods of intense activity.
• what happens during anaerobic respiration in plants?

  in plant and yeast cells, glucose is converted into ethanol and carbon dioxide.

  glucose -> ethanol + carbon dioxide

  in yeast cells, this is called fermentation. This is an important step in the manufacture of both bread and alcohol.
• what is the equation for aerobic respiration?

  glucose + oxygen -> carbon dioxide + water
• what are the key differences between aerobic and anaerobic respiration?

  • oxygen is needed for aerobic but not anaerobic
  • aerobic produces more ATP (energy) than anaerobic
  • aerobic produces CO2 and water, anaerobic produces carbon dioxide and ethanol or lactic acid
  • aerobic fully breaks down glucose, anaerobic partially breaks down glucose