Respiration is the process by which living organisms break down glucose to release energy.

It is a chemical reaction that happens in every cell of all living organisms.

There are two types of respiration:

 Aerobic Respiration
 Anaerobic Respiration

-Aerobic Respiration

Aerobic respiration requires oxygen to break down glucose and release energy.

Word equation for aerobic respiration:

glucose + oxygen ⟶ carbon dioxide + water

Location: Aerobic respiration happens inside the mitochondria of the cells.

Energy: Aerobic respiration releases a large amount of energy (in the form of
ATP — adenosine triphosphate), which is used by the body to perform
various functions.

-Anaerobic respiration

Respiration which takes place without oxygen and forms energy from
the breakdown of glucose. In muscles, lactic acid is produced. In yeast,
alcohol and carbon dioxide are produced. Less energy is released than
in aerobic respiration.

Word equation for anaerobic respiration in animals:

Glucose lactic acid + energy

Word equation for anaerobic respiration in plants and yeast:

Glucose Ethanol + Carbon dioxide +energy

Structure of the Human Respiratory System and Its Function in Gas Exchange

The human respiratory system is designed to efficiently exchange gases—primarily oxygen

(O₂) and carbon dioxide (CO₂)—between the body and the environment. This system
includes key structures that allow the process of breathing and gas exchange to take place.
 Key Components of the Respiratory System:

Nose and Mouth: Air enters the respiratory system through the nose or mouth. The nose has
tiny hairs and mucus to filter out dust and other particles.

Trachea (Windpipe): After entering through the nose or mouth, the air passes down the
trachea, a tube supported by rings of cartilage that keep it open.

Bronchi and Bronchioles: The trachea splits into two tubes called bronchi, which lead to
each lung. Inside the lungs, the bronchi further branch into smaller tubes called bronchioles.

Alveoli: The bronchioles end in tiny air sacs called alveoli. These are the sites of gas
exchange. Alveoli have thin walls and are surrounded by a network of capillaries (tiny blood
vessels). Oxygen from the air passes through the alveoli walls into the blood, and carbon
dioxide from the blood passes into the alveoli to be exhaled.

The lungs are essential for supplying oxygen, removing carbon dioxide, and maintaining the
body’s acid-base balance during respiration.

The diaphragm is a dome-shaped muscle that plays a key role in breathing:

 During inhalation, it contracts and moves downward, increasing chest cavity volume
and allowing air to enter the lungs.
 During exhalation, it relaxes and moves upward, decreasing chest cavity volume and
pushing air out of the lungs.
Gas Exchange in the Lungs

The structure of the alveoli is key to their function in gas exchange. The alveoli are:

Numerous: There are millions of alveoli in the lungs, creating a large surface area for gas
exchange.

Thin-Walled: Their thin walls allow gases to diffuse (move) easily between the air in the
alveoli and the blood in the surrounding capillaries.

Moist: The surface of the alveoli is moist, which helps oxygen dissolve and pass into the
blood more easily.

Oxygen moves from the alveoli into the blood, where it binds to red blood cells and is
transported around the body. Carbon dioxide, a waste product of respiration, moves from the
blood into the alveoli to be breathed out.

The Role of the Diaphragm and Intercostal Muscles in Breathing

Breathing involves two key muscle groups:

Diaphragm: A dome-shaped muscle located below the lungs. When it contracts, it flattens,
creating more space in the chest cavity and allowing the lungs to expand, drawing in air.

Intercostal Muscles: These muscles are found between the ribs. When they contract, they
lift the ribs up and out, further expanding the chest cavity.

Inhalation (Breathing In): The diaphragm contracts and moves down, while the intercostal
muscles contract, expanding the rib cage. This increases the volume of the chest cavity,
reducing the pressure inside the lungs and drawing air in.

Exhalation (Breathing Out): The diaphragm relaxes and moves back into its dome shape,
and the intercostal muscles relax, causing the rib cage to drop. This decreases the volume of
the chest cavity, increasing pressure and pushing air out of the lungs.
Breathing vs. Respiration

Respiration and breathing are two different processes, although they are closely related.

Breathing:

Breathing is the physical process of inhaling oxygen into the lungs and exhaling
carbon dioxide. It is also called ventilation.

The lungs play a major role in breathing by bringing in oxygen and removing carbon
dioxide from the body.

Respiration:

Respiration is a chemical process that occurs in cells, where glucose is broken down
to release energy.

It involves the conversion of glucose into energy (ATP), using oxygen.

Structure of the Lungs and Alveoli

The lungs are the primary organs of respiration. They are made up of millions of tiny air sacs
called alveoli.

Alveoli are specialized structures that allow for the exchange of gases between the air we
breathe in and the blood.

Each alveolus is surrounded by a network of tiny blood vessels called capillaries.

Diffusion of Gases in the Lungs

Diffusion is the process by which molecules move from an area of higher concentration to an
area of lower concentration. This is how oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged between
the alveoli and the blood.

Oxygen Diffusion into the Blood

When you inhale, the air enters the lungs, filling the alveoli with air that is rich in oxygen
(O₂).

Oxygen concentration in the alveoli is higher than in the blood in the surrounding capillaries.

Due to the concentration gradient, oxygen diffuses from the alveoli into the blood in the
capillaries.
In the blood, oxygen binds to hemoglobin in red blood cells and is transported to the rest of
the body, where it is used by cells for aerobic respiration.

Carbon Dioxide Diffusion into the Alveoli

Blood returning to the lungs from the body has a high concentration of carbon dioxide
(CO₂) because CO₂ is produced as a waste product during respiration.

Carbon dioxide concentration is higher in the blood than in the air in the alveoli.

Carbon dioxide diffuses from the blood into the alveoli, where it is exhaled during
breathing.

The Role of the Alveoli in Gas Exchange

The alveoli are highly adapted for gas exchange:

Thin walls (only one cell thick), which allow gases to diffuse quickly and easily between the
alveoli and the blood.

Large surface area due to the millions of alveoli in the lungs, ensuring that a large amount
of oxygen can be absorbed into the blood and carbon dioxide can be expelled.

Moist lining helps dissolve gases, making diffusion more efficient.

Close proximity to capillaries, ensuring that gases do not need to travel far between the air
in the alveoli and the blood in the capillaries.