Aerobic and Anaerobic Respiration

Respiration Homework
REMEMBER RESPIRATION INVOLVES THE ACTION OF ENZYMES!
Very Important note:
DO NOT confuse respiration with breathing. Respiration is a chemical process consisting of
chemical reactions. Breathing is just the physical act of taking in and passing out air. Yes- we need
to breath in order to get oxygen into our blood as this is used in respiration and yes- we need to
breathe out to release the waste carbon dioxide which has been produced in respiration. However
respiration and breathing are not the same!!
Respiration Online Lab
1. Go to this website http://amrita.olabs.co.in/?sub=79&brch=17&sim=204&cnt=4. You may
need to create a log in but this is free. (Use your school gmail). BEFORE YOU START READ
THE REST OF THE WORKSHEET.
2. Watch this video that explains how a respirometer works.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9o_VdToClE
3. Click on the simulator tab.

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4. We are going to make temperature the independent variable. What is the dependent
variable in the online lab?
5. Which seed are you going to use? NB this is going to be kept the same throughout the
experiment.
6. How many seeds are you going to use? NB this is going to be kept the same throughout the
experiment.
7. What do we call variables that are kept constant throughout an experiment?
8. What is your hypothesis? As temperature increases.
9. Complete the online lab and write your results in the table below.
Temperature (C)

Initial water level

(ml)

Final water level

(ml)

Change in water
level (ml)

10. What can you conclude from this experiment?

11. Read through the theory and procedure tabs.
12. Sketch a graph of how you think increasing temperature would affect rate of respiration?
13. Explain why you see this shape (HINT Enzymes)

Summary Questions - Aerobic Respiration

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1) What are the word and symbol equations for aerobic respiration?

2) Write out the word equation for photosynthesis below. Look at the equation for aerobic
respiration. What do you notice?

3) Where does the oxygen come from that is needed for respiration?

4) Where does the glucose come from for respiration?

5) What is the waste products of aerobic respiration and how do we get rid of them?

Summary Anaerobic Respiration

Anaerobic respiration releases much less energy per glucose molecule than aerobic respiration

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What is the word equation for anaerobic respiration in muscles during hard exercise (humans)

Lactic acid builds up in muscles and blood during vigorous exercise causing an oxygen debt.
The oxygen debt is removed during recovery. Lactic acid would be toxic and so must be
broken down, in the liver. After exercise has finished the heart continues to beat fast in
order to transport lactic acid from muscles to the liver in blood. Breathing continues at a
deep and fast rate in order to supply the oxygen needed to break down the lactic acid. The
volume of oxygen needed is known as the oxygen debt.
What is the word equation for anaerobic respiration in yeast (fermentation)

What is the balanced symbol equation for anaerobic respiration in yeast (fermentation)

Uses of microorganisms.
Anaerobic respiration in micro-organisms such as yeast is called fermentation

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BREAD
You need to know about the use of this in bread making. During bread making the baker is
interested in the carbon dioxide the yeast produces. This gas makes the dough rise before baking.
Read pages 52-53 in your text book.
1. Why will anaerobic respiration eventually kill yeast?

2. Outline how we use anerobic respiration of yeast in bread making.

BIOFUELS
A biofuel is a renewable fuel made from sustainable sources such as animal or food waste, wood
and alcohol. Biofuels are a green alternative to fossil fuels. Common examples include using
vegetable oil or alcohol in cars, sometimes mixed with petrol.
Biofuels are carbon neutral. This means that they only release as much carbon dioxide when they
are burnt as was used to make them originally by photosynthesis. In this way, they dont increase
the amount of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere.
Some people worry that biofuels also have their drawbacks for instance, large areas of land are
used to grow some biofuels. This area of land might have been forest before, but now cannot act
as a carbon dioxide sink (a process whereby carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere).
Also, the land now cannot be used by local people to produce their food.

1. Describe the role of anaerobic respiration in yeast during production of ethanol for
biofuels

BIOLOGICAL WASHING POWDER

Read page 34. Many biological washing powders now have enzymes in them to help break down and
remove stains. The two types of enzymes used are:
Proteases - which break down proteins into amino acids

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Carbohydrases - which break down carbohydrates into sugars

Lipases which break down fats into fatty acids and glycerol

1. Biological washing powerders cannot be used at high temperatures. Explain why.

PECTINASE
Read page 34. Pectin is a sugar which is found in the cell walls of plants. It is broken down by the
enzyme pectinase. As the cell wall is broken down the juice is released. Therefore, adding
pectinase to fruit can be used to make fruit juice. If you cut up two identical portions of fruit and
place one in a beaker of water (the control) and the other in a beaker of water containing
pectinase. After five minutes filter both solutions and record the volume of liquid produced. The
portion of fruit exposed to the pectinase should produce more liquid and change it from cloudy to
clear.

LACTASE
Lactose is the main sugar in milk that is broken down into galactose and glucose by the enzyme
lactase. Some people are lactose intolerant which means that they cannot produce lactase - an
enzyme that digests lactose. A lack of lactase causes bacteria in the gut to ferment the lactose,
and this fermentation causes wind and diarrhoea.

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Lactose-free milk can be produced for people with lactose intolerance. This is done using
immobilised lactase. The lactase converts the lactose in the milk into glucose and galactose, which
are easier to absorb when the milk is consumed.
PENICILLIN
Read pages 50-51 in your text books and page 35. Copy the image of the fermenter from page 35
into the space below.

A fungus called Penicillium produces penicillin.

The following conditions are maintained to maximise growth rates:
1.

The fermenter is kept aseptic so only the desired microorganism grows.

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2.

Nutrients are provided to ensure that the microorganisms always have enough food to grow.

3.

The optimum temperature and pH is maintained to ensure maximum growth.

4.

There is an oxygen supply because most fermentation reactions are aerobic.

5.

Agitation (stirring) takes place to ensure that the microorganisms, nutrients and
temperature are evenly distributed.

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