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Edexcel IGCSE Biology Your notes

Respiration
Contents
Process of Respiration
Aerobic & Anaerobic Respiration
Practical: Investigating Respiration

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Process of Respiration
Your notes
Respiration
Respiration is a chemical reaction carried out in all living organisms
Energy is released from glucose either in the presence of oxygen (aerobic respiration) or the absence
of oxygen (anaerobic respiration)
The reactions ultimately result in the production of carbon dioxide and water as waste products
Energy is transferred in the form of ATP

Examiner Tip
Make sure not to confuse respiration with gas exchange. Gas exchange involves getting oxygen into
the cells and carbon dioxide out. Respiration uses the oxygen supplied from gas exchange to release
energy in the form of ATP. Remember energy is never made or produced!

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ATP
During the process of cellular respiration, glucose is broken down and several molecules of ATP are Your notes
produced
The energy required by organisms is released via these ATP molecules
ATP can be broken down to release energy for living processes to occur within cells and organisms
Processes requiring energy from ATP might include:
Chemical reactions to build larger molecules from smaller molecules
Muscle contraction to allow movement
Keeping warm (to maintain a constant temperature suitable for enzyme activity)

Uses of the energy released from respiration

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Aerobic & Anaerobic Respiration

Your notes
Aerobic Respiration
Aerobic respiration requires oxygen
It is defined as the chemical reaction in cells that uses oxygen to break down nutrient molecules
to release energy
Aerobic respiration is the complete breakdown of glucose to release a relatively large amount of
energy for use in cell processes and reactions
Carbon dioxide and water are produced as waste products as well as releasing useful cellular energy
Word equation for aerobic respiration

Symbol equation for aerobic respiration

This equation can also be shown as a balanced chemical equation
One molecule of glucose combines with six molecules of oxygen to produce six molecules of
carbon dioxide and six molecules of water

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Examiner Tip
Your notes
There are usually 3 marks given for the aerobic respiration chemical equation in an exam:
One for getting the correct formula for glucose and oxygen
One for getting the correct formula for carbon dioxide and water
One for balancing the equation correctly
So make sure you can do all three to gain maximum marks!

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Anaerobic Respiration
Anaerobic respiration does not require oxygen Your notes
It is defined as the chemical reaction in cells that breaks down nutrient molecules to release energy
without using oxygen
It involves the incomplete breakdown of glucose and so releases a relatively small amount of energy
for use in cell processes
Different breakdown products are formed depending on the type of organism that the anaerobic
respiration is taking place in

Anaerobic respiration in animals

Anaerobic respiration mainly takes place in muscle cells during vigorous exercise
When we exercise at high intensities, our muscles have a higher demand for energy
Our bodies can only deliver so much oxygen to our muscle cells for aerobic respiration
When oxygen runs out, glucose is broken down without it, producing lactic acid instead
Glucose has not been fully broken down meaning there is still energy stored within the bonds of lactic
acid molecules
Lactic acid builds up in muscle cells and lowers the pH of the muscle tissue (making the conditions
more acidic)
Acidic conditions can denature the enzymes in cells
Lactic acid will eventually be broken down using oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and water as
waste products
Anaerobic respiration releases less energy than aerobic respiration
Word equation for anaerobic respiration in animals

Anaerobic respiration in plants and fungi

Plants and yeast can respire without oxygen as well, breaking down glucose in the absence of oxygen
to produce ethanol and carbon dioxide

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Anaerobic respiration in yeast cells is called fermentation

Fermentation is economically important in the manufacture of bread (where the carbon dioxide
produced helps the dough to rise) and in brewing (where the ethanol produced makes beer) Your notes
Word equation for anaerobic respiration in plants and yeast

Examiner Tip
You need to know the word equations for anaerobic respiration in animals and plants (or fungi) but not
the symbol equations

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Comparing Anaerobic & Aerobic Respiration

The processes of aerobic and anaerobic respiration can be compared with regard to the need for Your notes
oxygen, the products and the relative amounts of energy transferred
Comparing Aerobic & Anaerobic Respiration Table

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Practical: Investigating Respiration

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Practical: Investigating Respiration
We can investigate the production of carbon dioxide and heat from respiration through experiments
using germinating seeds or other living organisms such as woodlice

Practical investigation: demonstrating the production of carbon dioxide

Apparatus
Boiling tubes
Rubber bungs
Hydrogen carbonate indicator solution
Cotton wool
Glass beads
Germinating seeds
Boiled/dead seeds
Method
Measure out 10 cm3 of hydrogencarbonate indicator into 3 boiling tubes
Put in a layer of cotton wool
Place 10 germinating seeds in tube A
Place 10 boiled/dead seeds in tube B
Place 10 glass beads in tube C
Seal each tube with a rubber bung
After 3 hours, observe the colour of the indicator
Hydrogencarbonate indicator
Hydrogencarbonate indicator is red in atmospheric CO2 levels
In high CO2 levels the indicator reacts to CO₂ dissolving in water, which forms carbonic acid and
changes the pH, causing it to become yellow
In low CO2 levels the lack of CO₂ makes the solution more alkaline, causing the colour to shift to
purple

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Your notes

Colour results for hydrogen carbonate indicator

Results
In this investigation, we would expect to note the following
Tube A should turn yellow as the seeds are respiring and producing carbon dioxide
Tube B should remain red as the dead seeds produce no carbon dioxide
Tube C should remain red as there is no living material in there

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Your notes

Experiment to demonstrate the production of carbon dioxide by living material during respiration
Practical investigation: demonstrating the production of heat
Apparatus
Vacuum Flasks
Thermometer
Cotton wool
Germinating seeds
Dead/boiled seeds
Method
Set up the flasks as shown in the diagram
Flask A with the dead seeds
Flask B with the germinating seeds
Make sure the cotton wool is plugging the top of each flask
Hold the thermometer in place with the cotton wool
Invert the flask
Record the initial temperature
After 4 days, record the final temperature

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Your notes

Experiment to demonstrate the production of heat by living material during respiration

Results
The thermometer in the flask with the germinating seeds (Flask B) should show an increase in
temperature
Flask A should remain at room temperature
This is because the seeds in flask B are respiring and producing heat energy in the process
This shows that respiration is an exothermic reaction
The seeds in flask A are not respiring because they are dead, so the temperature remains the same

Applying CORMS evaluation to practical work

When working with practical investigations, remember to consider your CORMS evaluation

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Your notes

CORMS evaluation
In the first investigation, your evaluation should look something like this:
Change - We will change the content of the boiling tube (germinating seeds, dead seeds or glass
beads)
Organisms - The seeds used should all be of the same age, size and species
Repeat - We will repeat the investigation several times to ensure our results are reliable
Measurement 1 - We will observe the change in the hydrogen carbonate indicator
Measurement 2 - ...after 3 hours
Same - We will control the volume of hydrogen carbonate indicator, the number of seeds/beads,
the temperature of the environment
For the second investigation, your evaluation should look something like this:
Change - We will change the content of the flasks (germinating seeds or dead seeds)
Organisms - The seeds used should all be of the same age, size and species
Repeat - We will repeat the investigation several times to ensure our results are reliable
Measurement 1 - We will observe the change in the temperature on the thermometer
Measurement 2 - ...after 4 days
Same - We will control the number of seeds, the starting temperature of the flasks, the material
and size of the flasks

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