LIFE PROCESS - RESPIRATION

 Process of releasing energy from the food is called respiration

 Respiration is opposite of photosynthesis; in photosynthesis food is synthesized whereas in
respiration food is broken down
 Respiration involves taking in oxygen (of air) into the cells, using it for releasing energy by
burning food, and then eliminating the waste products (CO 2 and H2O) from the body
 Respiration includes breathing (physical respiration) and oxidation of food in the cells
(cellular respiration, in mitochondria) of an organism

 Difference between breathing and respiration

S.No. Breathing Respiration

1. Physical process Physical + biochemical process

2. Involves only lungs Involves both lungs and mitochondria

 The equation of respiration can be written as:

C6H12O6 + O2 CO2 + H2 O + Energy

(Glucose) (Oxygen) (Carbon dioxide) (Water)

 The released energy is used by the body for different processes, unused energy is stored in
the body in the form of ATP (Adenosine triphosphate)
 ATP is formed when with the help of energy one phosphate attaches with ADP (Adenosine
diphosphate) to form ATP
 In the above reaction, pyruvic acid or pyruvate (3 carbon compound) is formed as an
intermediate product whose fate depends upon the presence or absence of oxygen

C6H12O6 + O2 Pyruvic acid (Intermediate) CO2 + H2O + Energy

(In cytoplasm) (In mitochondria)

 The reaction of glucose converting into pyruvic acid takes place in the cytoplasm
 CO2 and H2O are formed from pyruvic acid inside mitochondria (power house of the cell)
TYPES OF RESPIRATION
 Depending upon the presence or absence of oxygen, respiration can be classified into two
types
A. Aerobic
B. Anaerobic
A. AEROBIC RESPIRATION
 The respiration which utilizes oxygen is called aerobic respiration
 Glucose (food) is completely broken down into carbon dioxide and water
 Inside the cells, mitochondria are sites for aerobic respiration

In Mitochondia
C6H12O6 2CH3COCOOH 6CO2+ 6H2O + Energy
(38 ATP)
(Glucose 1 molecule) (Pyruvic acid, 2 molecules)
B. ANAEROBIC RESPIRATION
 The respiration which takes place without oxygen is called anaerobic respiration
(i) In yeast and some bacteria

C6H12O6 2CH3COCOOH 2C2H5OH + 2CO2 + Energy

(1 molecule) (Pyruvic acid, 2 molecules) (Ethanol) (2 ATP)
 Energy produced is very less as compared to aerobic respiration
(ii) In human muscle cells

C6H12O6 2CH3COCOOH 2CH3CHOHCOOH + Energy

(1 molecule) (Pyruvic acid, 2 molecules) (Lactic acid, 2 molecules) (2ATP)
 Lactic acid accumulation in the muscle cells lead to cramps, which is smoothened by a light
massage of the muscle

Difference between Aerobic and Anaerobic Respiration

RESPIRATION IN PLANTS
 At night, when there is no photosynthesis occurring, CO2 elimination is the major exchange
activity going on
 During the day, CO2 generated during respiration is used up for photosynthesis, oxygen
release is the major event at this time
  Respiration in plants differ from animals in the following ways

Respiration in plants Respiration in animals

-All parts of the plant respire individually -Animals respire as a single unit

-There is little transport of respiratory gases from -Gases are transported to long distances
one part to another

-Process is slow -Process is comparatively fast

(i) Respiration in roots

RESPIRATION IN ROOTS

-Roots of plants take in oxygen

by the process of diffusion

-Root hairs, which are extensions

of epidermal cells of root, take in
oxygen from the air present in
between particles of soil

-In water logged conditions,

plants die because anaerobic
respiration takes place and
alcohol is formed which kills the
plant

(ii) Respiration in stem

 Soft stems of herbaceous plants have stomata in them, which allows gaseous exchange
 In hard woody stems, there are places called Lenticels, where the cells are loosely packed
which allows gaseous exchange through diffusion between the air and living cells of the
stem.

(iii) Respiration in leaves

 Respiration in leaves occurs through specialized structures called stomata
 During day, rate of photosynthesis is more than the rate of respiration so diffusion of O 2
outside through stomata is more than the diffusion of CO2 inside (O2 diffuses out; CO2
diffuses in )
 During night when there is no photosynthesis, O2 diffuses in and CO2 diffuses out through
stomata (O2 diffuses in; CO2 diffuses out)
 Respiration in Animals
In Amoeba, diffusion
Respiration in Earthworms use
of gases takes place
Animals skin for
through cell
respiration
membrane

Land animals use Insects have tiny holes Fish, prawns have
lungs and skin for called spiracles attached gills for
respiration to tubes called trachea respiration
(Tracheal system)

 Since the amount of dissolved oxygen in water is fairly low compared to the amount of
oxygen in the air, the rate of breathing in aquatic organisms is much faster than that seen in
terrestrial organisms
 Fishes take in water through their mouths and force it past the gills where the dissolved
oxygen is taken up by blood
 All the respiratory organs have some features in common
1. Large surface area 2. Thin walls 3. Rich blood supply

A. Respiration in Amoeba

Respiration in Amoeba

 Respiration happens by simple

diffusion
 Exchange of gases takes place
through cell membrane

 In some multicellular organisms, the blood contains a respiratory pigment called

haemoglobin which is employed to carry oxygen to all parts of the body

B. Respiration in Human Beings

 Breathing organs are lungs
 Taking in oxygen rich air = Inhalation
 Giving out carbon dioxide rich air = Exhalation
 C. Flowchart for the process of respiration

When we breathe in, air is taken into the body through the nostrils and get filtered by fine
hairs
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(i)Muscles between ribs contract (ii)Diaphragm contracts and
Causing ribcage to move upward moves downward
And outward
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Volume of the chest cavity increases

Air pressure inside chest cavity decreases and outside air rushes inside the lungs
through the nostrils and trachea (supported by cartilaginous rings to ensure that the air
passage does not collapse) and finally alveoli

Alveoli gets filled with air containing oxygen

Oxygen diffuses out from alveoli walls into blood (due to concentration gradient)

Blood reaches the cells and oxygen diffuses into cell

Inside the cell, oxygen combines with digested food and releases energy
 CO2 and H2O as waste diffuses back into the blood and carried to lungs and to alveoli
back

CO2 is given back into alveoli in exchange of oxygen

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(i)Muscles between ribs relax and (ii)Diaphragm relaxes and
Ribcage moves downward and moves upward
Inward
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Chest cavity contracts and becomes smaller

This contraction rushes CO2 from the alveoli into trachea, nostrils and out of the body

 Since the human body size is large, diffusion pressure alone cannot deliver oxygen to all
parts of the body, respiratory pigment (haemoglobin) therefore takes up oxygen and carry it
to the tissues
 Rate of breathing = 15-18 times / minute
 Normal range of haemoglobin = 12-18 g/dl
 Haemoglobin deficiency reduces O2 carrying capacity of the blood resulting in breathing
problem, lack of energy etc. The person looks pale and loses weight

D. Carbon Monoxide (CO) Poisoning

 CO binds very strongly with haemoglobin in the blood and prevents it from carrying O 2 to
the brain and other parts of the body
 If the condition persists, the person can become unconscious and even die

 Activities 5.4, 5.5 and 5.6 should be understood from the NCERT text book