12. Respiration

12.1 Respiration

Core

  • State the uses of energy in the body of humans: muscle contraction, protein synthesis, cell division, active transport, growth, the passage of nerve impulses and the maintenance of a constant body temperature

  • State that respiration involves the action of enzymes in cells

12.2 Aerobic respiration

Core

  • Define aerobic respiration as the chemical reactions in cells that use oxygen to break down nutrient molecules to release energy

  • State the word equation for aerobic respiration as glucose + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water

  • Investigate the uptake of oxygen by respiring organisms, such as arthropods and germinating seeds

Supplement

  • State the balanced chemical equation for aerobic respiration as C6H12O6 + 6O2 → 6CO2 + 6H2O

  • Investigate the effect of temperature on the rate of respiration of germinating seeds

12.3 Anaerobic respiration

Core

  • Define anaerobic respiration as the chemical reactions in cells that break down nutrient molecules to release energy without using oxygen

  • State the word equations for anaerobic respiration in muscles during vigorous exercise (glucose → lactic acid) and in the microorganism yeast (glucose → alcohol + carbon dioxide)

  • State that anaerobic respiration releases much less energy per glucose molecule than aerobic respiration

Supplement

  • State the balanced chemical equation for anaerobic respiration in the microorganism yeast as C6H12O6 → 2C2H5OH + 2CO2

  • State that lactic acid builds up in muscles and blood during vigorous exercise causing an oxygen debt

  • Outline how the oxygen debt is removed during recovery, limited to:

– aerobic respiration of lactic acid in the liver

– continuation, after exercise, of fast heart rate to transport lactic acid in blood from muscles to the liver

– continuation, after exercise, of deeper breathing supplying oxygen for aerobic respiration of lactic acid