Anaerobic respiration

• When does anaerobic respiration occur?

  When oxygen is not supplied fast enough to the mitochondria where aerobic respiration is occuring
• How do plants use anaerobic respiration

  If the soil becomes waterlogged.

  Under normal conditions roots absorb both oxygen and water from the soil.
• How does bacteria use anaerobic respiration

  • When a human/ animal gets a puncture wound Bactria is able to enter
  • There is far less oxygen inside the wound than outside the wound
  • Any Bactria invading has to switch to anaerobic respiration as there is not enough oxygen to carry out aerobic respiration.
  • If they don't, they loose energy and die
• How do abscesses form?

  When Bactria survives in a deep wound using anaerobic respiration
• What is one treatment of a puncture wound and how does it help?

  • Keep the wound open to air
  • This stops anaerobic respiration and stops anaerobic Bactria from growing.
• ATP


  • Energy molecule used by cells
  • Aerobic respiration releases up to 38 ATP molecules per glucose molecules
  • Anaerobic respiration releases up to 2 ATP molecules per glucose molecules (19 times less efficient)
• What is anaerobic respirations waste product?

  Lactic acid
• Anaerobic respiration word equation

  Glucose --- Lactic acid (+ energy released)
• What causes cramp and muscle fatigue?

  • When lactic acid builds up in the muscles
  • Even an athlete has to stop because of the build up of lactic acid
• Oxygen debt


  • After exercise, oxygen breaks down lactic acid into CO2 and water
  • Part of the recovery time after exercise
• Fermentation


  • Products - Ethanol and carbon dioxide
  • Word equation - Glucose --- Ethanol + Carbon dioxide (+ release of energy)
  • Occurs in plant cells and bacteria such as yeast
  • Used to make beer/alcohol and bread dough rise