Respiration

Respiration

Respiration

what's the difference between respiration and breathing

VOICEOVER: Understanding respiration. Do not confuse respiration with breathing or to use the scientific name, ventilation. Respiration is a chemical reaction. It occurs in all plant and animal cells. During this reaction, energy from glucose is released. This energy enables organisms to live. Aerobic respiration requires oxygen. Carbon dioxide is produced as a by-product and we show this using the word equation: glucose plus oxygen, produces carbon dioxide and water. Aerobic respiration produces energy, much more efficiently than anaerobic respiration, but is a slower process. Anaerobic respiration does not require oxygen. Lactic acid is produced as a by-product. We show this using the word equation: glucose produces lactic acid. Anaerobic respiration produces much less energy than aerobic respiration, but it is a much faster process.

Katie: OK, so, let’s expand on what we’ve just heard, shall we?

Dr. Tim: Alright, Katie. So what we’ve already learned is that respiration is not the same as breathing – it’s a chemical reaction and it occurs in all living cells, all of the time, and his energy that’s released from glucose. Now, there are two types of respiration. Over to you, Katie.

Katie: OK. It’s aerobic and anaerobic, but what’s the difference between them?

Dr. Tim: Perfect. So if we look at these two types of respiration as an equation, it’ll help us to understand better. Aerobic respiration occurs in the presence of lots of oxygen, like if we were running a marathon or something like that. And the equation that represents this reaction is glucose plus oxygen gives carbon dioxide, plus water. This is the process of releasing energy from glucose in the presence of oxygen, which occurs in all living cells.

Katie: OK, great. And what about anaerobic respiration?

Dr. Tim: So, anaerobic respiration is a little bit different because it occurs when there is not sufficient oxygen, as if we’re doing a mad 100m sprint or something like that. And the equation that represents anaerobic respiration is glucose goes to lactic acid. And this is the process of releasing smaller amounts of energy from glucose, something like 5%, without the presence of lots of oxygen, which produces lactic acid. And we all know the feeling of aching after we’ve done a mad dash, don’t we.

Katie: Yeah, definitely. I mean, I’m exhausted just thinking about it, to be honest.

Dr. Tim: This oxygen debt which is known as excess post-exercise oxygen consumption, or EPOC.

Katie: That’s a mouthful.

Dr. Tim: It is a mouthful, yeah. EPOC, for shot. And this is why we keep on breathing deeply for a few minutes after we finish some difficult exercise, so we can we can replenish all of the cells in our body with oxygen.

This post was last modified on December 3, 2024 5:27 am