Biology: Respiration

Why do we need energy?

1.For living process such as
(a) Movements of bones and
muscle
(b) Growth, nutrients absorption
and digestion
and tissues repairing
(c) Maintaining body temperature
at constant
level
(d) Reproduction

However where the energy do

comes from?
From food through RESPIRATION
in cells
Energy is locked up as chemical
bonds in organic food molecules
and oxidation of (breakdown of)

RESPIRATION
1. Respiration: a chemical reaction(process) in cells that releases energy from
digested food (glucose or other simpler substances)
Eg: in Aerobic respiration

Reactants: Starting substances

in a chemical reaction

Products: Substances made in

a chemical reaction

2. Both plants and animals need to carry out respiration to release energy BUT
The way plants and animals obtain glucose and oxygen are different

Plants
Obtain glucose through photosynthesis

Oxygen is taken in through plant respiration and

Animals
Obtain glucose from
food (nutrients)
Animal do not carry
out photosynthesis
Oxygen is taken in
through breathing

photosynthesis

Both respiration: occurs in mitochondria at cristae

Mitochondria (the powerhouse)

1. Found in the cell cytoplasm

2. An adaptation for respiration in animal and plant cells
3. Site of respiration: organelle that functions to process respiration
Characteristics:
(a) Has 2 membranes
(inner and outer
membrane)
(b) Respiration occurs in
Inner membrane at
cristae
(c) Adaptation of inner
membrane for
respiration:

4. Different types of cells will have different

numbers of mitochondria
Type of cells
Muscle cells
Red blood cell
Liver cell
Skin cell
Mucus cell

highly folded and forms

many cristae
surrounded by matrix
(fluid) that consist
enzymes which needed
for respiration)

Average number of mitochondria

per cell
1 900
0
1 300
800
180

5. Organs that needs more mitochondria cell numbers for energy production are:
(a) Heart
(b) Liver
(c) Brain

6. Mitochondrial disease:
(a) a fault in the inherited material that causes defects in mitochondria
(b) Effects:
- Mitochondria unable to function properly that leads to deficiency in energy
production
- Which eventually may lead to muscle degeneration

Activity: Comparing Combustion and Respiration

Combustion
A burning reaction between fuel and oxygen
to release heat and light energy

Respiration (animals)
A reaction between glucose and oxygen to
release energy for
Example: in Aerobic respiration:
Glucose + oxygen carbon dioxide +
water + energy

Fuel + oxygen carbon dioxide + water +

energy

Products: carbon dioxide, water and energy

Products: carbon dioxide, water and energy

(heat and light)

A controlled reaction

Not a controlled reaction

Release energy fast

Release energy slowly

Occurs inside the cells (in mitochondria)

Does not occur in cells

Overall: Relationship between photosynthesis and respiration

Exercise:
1. Describe a difference between respiration in plants and in animals

2. Describe evidence for the release of water by animals

3. Suggest how would you test if plant gives off water

4. Explain why respiration and photosynthesis are dependent on each other

5. Explain why mitochondria are adapted for respiration

6. Suggest when a cell may need more mitochondria

7. Why patients of mitochondrial diseases often exhausted?

Experiment: to show the products (carbon dioxide) of respiration in plants

Tips:
1. Bottle C is covered with black cloth to prevent photosynthesis
2. Lime water: to test the presence of carbon dioxide
(a) Lime water turns from clear to chalky (cloudy) solution when carbon
dioxide is present
(b) Lime water remains clear in colour when carbon dioxide is absent
3. Soda lime: to absorbs carbon dioxide
4. Aspirator: to draw air through the tubes

Questions:
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1. What will happen to the lime water in Bottle B and C?

Bottle B: _______________________
Reasons:

__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Bottle C: _______________________

Reasons:
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

The Human Respiratory system

1. Consists of:

(a) Air enters nose through nostril

Nostril has hairs that traps dust and particles
Nostril has mucus to traps bacteria and other foreign particles
(b) Air passes down from nostril to trachea (windpipe)
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(c) The trachea divides into 2 bronchi with one bronchus for each lung
(d)Each bronchus divides further in the lungs to form bronchioles
(e)At the end of the bronchioles, it has a group of tiny air sacs called alveoli

Gaseous exchange

1. Gaseous exchange at the respiration surface occur by diffusion and alveolus acts
as the respiratory surface in human
Definition:
Movement of gaseous in and
out in the alveoli and the
blood in the blood capillaries

Occur through DIFFUSION

that is from a region of high
concentration to a region of
low concentration
Gas
Concentration
Inside Alveoli
Inside blood
capillaries
Oxygen
High
Low

Carbon
dioxide

Low

**water vapour is also lost from the surface

the alveoli into the lungs (can be seen when
breathe out on cold days)

High

of
we

Adaptation for gaseous exchange in the respiratory system

Alveolus
(a) Very small: has large
surface area for gaseous
exchange

Intercostal muscles
Move the ribs up and
down during breathing

(b) Has very thin walls (one

cell thick)

Diaphragm
Separates the thoracic
cavity from abdomen
Moves up and down
during breathing

(c) Surrounded by blood

capillaries for gaseous
exchange
(d) Is moist for easy gaseous
diffusion
The breathing mechanism/ ventilation
1. Definition: movement of ribs, intercostal muscles and diaphragm to move air in
and out of the lungs
2. 2 types:
(a) Inhalation: breathe in
(b) Exhalation: breathe out

Eff

Ox
al
ca
Ca
bl
al

Respiration

Aerobic respiration

Anaerobic respiration
Types of respiration

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Respiration that takes place in the presence of oxygen

Glucose + oxygen carbon dioxide + water + energy

Production of energy in the absence of oxygen.

Is inefficient because only a small amount of energy is
released and glucose breakdown is incomplete due to the
absence of oxygen

**Oxygen: taken from breathing from lungs to all the cells in

the blood
**Carbon dioxide and water: are the waste products and
are taken away from the cells by the blood and breathed
out from the lungs
Glucose breakdown:

Glucose breakdown:
1. Takes place in muscle cells and microbes at
CYTOPLASM
2. Products: lactic acid & energy / ethanol, carbon
dioxide&
Energy

1. Takes place in mitochondria of a cell

2. Products: Energy, carbon dioxide, water
Chemical equation (overall):
Glucose + Oxygen + carbon dioxide + water + energy
Is divided into 2 parts that are:
(a) Cell respiration (internal respiration)
- Involves glucose oxidation to produce energy, carbon
dioxide and energy
- Takes place in mitochondria
(b) Gaseous exchange (external respiration)
- Process of transferring the oxygen from the surrounding
medium to the cells and the elimination of the products of
respiration (water and carbon dioxide) to the surrounding
medium.

(a) In muscle cells

1. Happen during vigorous activities (muscle cells contract
repeatedly and rapidly)
2. Blood simply cannot supply enough oxygen for aerobic
respiration
3. Lactic acid causes muscle to be fatigue, pain and cramps
o
o

Other symptoms: breathe heavily and panting

To take in more oxygen to breakdown and eliminate
lactic acid Known as OXYGEN DEBT

(b) In Plants and Microbes (Alchoholic fermentation)

#Energy
storage

1. Eg:
(a) In the roots of a plant in boggy or waterlogged soil
(b) Microbes: bacteria, virus and fungi
Some microbes can respire anaerobically even when
oxygen is present.
Eg: Yeast
(known as alcoholic fermentation)

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1. In animals, energy is stored in the form of:

(a) Glycogen in the muscle
(b) Glycogen in the liver
(c) In fat reserve
2. NOTE: Once all the fats and glycogen have been used up, proteins in the body will be used to supply energy to the body

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Application of fermentation in
(a) Brewing & alcoholic drink production
o Depends on the source of sugars used in the process
o Eg:
Wine uses grapes
Beers uses hops and barley
(b)Baking
- Yeast and sugar is needed in making bread
- Releases carbon dioxide to make the bread rise
(c) Gasohol (mixture og gasoline and alcohol)
- Non- renewable fossil fuels that last longer

Investigating fermentation:
Activity A: to show that fermentation release carbon dioxide gas
Types of test that can be used:
(i)
(ii)

Lime water: turns cloudy white

Hydrogen bicarbonate: changes from orange to yellow

Method:

Results:

Activity B: to show the effects of temperature on fermentation

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Method:
1. The apparatus is set up as shown asbove
2. The experiment was repeated setting up the identical flasks at different temperature
3. The number of bubbles release are counted in one minute in each different temperature
set up
Results:
Temperature (

20

30

40

50

14

26

60

16

C
Number of
bubbles per
minute
Questions:
1. What is the independent variable?

2. What is the dependent variable?

3. What is the control variable?

4. What does the results show on the effect of temperature on the fermentation?

5. Suggest how students can improve on the reliability of the experiment?

6. Suggest the most suitable temperature that can be used to rise the dough during baking

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Comparison between aerobic and anaerobic respiration

Aerobic respiration
-

Similarities

Anaerobic respiration

Differences
Availability of oxygen
Oxidation of glucose
Products of respiration

Anaerobic respiration
Oxygen is absent
Incomplete glucose oxidation
In muscle cells:
Lactic acid and energy

Both are cellular respiration

Both involve the breakdown of glucose
Both are catalysed by enzymes

Aerobic respiration
Oxygen is present
Complete glucose oxidation
Carbon dioxide, water and energy

In yeast:
Ethanol, carbon dioxide & energy
A large amount of energy is released
(more efficient)

Amount of energy released per mole of

glucose

In all organisms:
Glucose + oxygen carbon dioxide
+ energy

Mitochondria

Chemical equation

A small amount of energy is released per

mole of glucose
(less efficient but can generate energy
QUICKLY)
Needed for vigorous activities
such as sprinting and swimming
In muscle cells:
Glucose lactic acid + energy

+ water

Where the process take place

In yeast:
Glucose ethanol + carbon dioxide +
energy
Cytoplasm

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