Life processes

RESPIRATION
• Respiration is essential for life because it provides energy for carrying out all the life process
which are necessary to keep a organisms alive.
• The process of releasing energy from food is called respiration.
• The process of respiration involves taking in oxygen into the cells, using it for releasing energy by
burning food, and then eliminating the waste products [carbon dioxide and water] from the body.
• Food + Oxygen carbon dioxide + water + energy
• The process of respiration which releases energy takes place inside the cell of the body. So it is
called as cellular respiration.
 Breathing and Respiration

• The mechanism by which organisms obtain oxygen from the air and release carbon dioxide is called
breathing.
• Respiration is a more complex process. Respiration includes breathing as well as oxidation of food in
the cells of the organism to release of energy.
• Breathing is a physical process whereas respiration also includes biochemical process of oxidation of
food.
• The main purpose of respiration is the release of energy from the oxidation of simple food
molecules like glucose
• Respiration is just opposite of photosynthesis.
 How energy released during
respiration is stored
• The energy produced during respiration is stored in the form of ATP molecules in the cells of the body and used by the
organisms as and when required.
• ADP is a substance called adenosine di-phosphate. The molecules of ADP are present in a cell. ADP has low energy
content.
• ATP is a substance called Adenosine tri-phosphate. It is also present inside the cell. ATP has high energy content.
• Inorganic phosphate is a substance which contains a phosphate group made up of phosphorus and oxygen. Inorganic
phosphate are also present in a cell. Inorganic phosphate can be represented by writing just ‘Phosphate’. The inorganic
phosphate call also be represented by the symbol Pi (where p stands for phosphate and I for inorganic).
• ADP contains two phosphate groups whereas ATP contains three phosphate groups.
•The energy released during respiration is used to make ATP molecules from ADP and inorganic phosphate.
ADP + Phosphate + Energy ATP
•When the cell needs energy, then ATP can be broken down using water to release energy . Thus:
ATP ADP + Phosphate + Energy
•The equivalent to 30.5 kj/mole is used in this process.
•ADP can be converted to ATP by absorbing energy produced during respiration, and ATP can be converted
back to ADP releasing energy to be used by the cells, again ana again. This ensures a continuous supply of
energy to the organism.
•ATP is used by body cells for various purposes like contraction of muscles, conduction of nerve impulses
etc.
 An important discussion

1. Glucose is C6H12O6. It is a six carbon atom compound.

• The respiration which uses oxygen is called aerobic respiration. ‘Aerobic’ means ‘with air’.
• In aerobic respiration, the glucose food is completely broken down into carbon dioxide and
water by oxidation.
• Aerobic respiration produces considerable amount of energy for use by the organisms which
gets stored as ATP molecules.
Glucose glycolysis Pyruvate oxygen 6CO2 + 6H2O + 38 ATP
• During aerobic respiration, 1 molecule of glucose produces 38 energy-rich ATP molecules.
• All the organisms which obtain energy by aerobic respiration, cannot live without oxygen. This
is because if there is no oxygen, they cannot get energy from the food which they eat.
• Mitochondria are the site of aerobic respiration in the cells.
• Most of the living organisms carry out aerobic respiration (by using oxygen of air).
• Example: humans, dogs, earthworm, fish, ants and most of the plants carry out aerobic
respiration.
 Anaerobic respiration

• The respiration which takes place without oxygen is called anaerobic respiration.
• ‘Anaerobic’ means ‘without air’.
• The microscopic organisms like yeast and some bacteria obtain energy by anaerobic
respiration (which is called fermentation)
• In anaerobic respiration, the micro-organisms like yeast break down glucose into ethanol and
carbon dioxide, and release energy. This energy is then used by the micro-organisms.
Glucose glycolysis Pyruvate in absence of oxygen 2C2H5OH + 2CO2 + 2 ATP
• During anaerobic respiration, 1molecule of glucose produces only 2 energy-rich ATP
molecules.
• All the organisms which obtain energy by anaerobic respiration can live without oxygen.
• The whole process of anaerobic respiration takes place in the cytoplasm of the cell.
 We can carry out the fermentation of sugar by using
the anaerobic respiration of yeast as follows:

Take some sugar solution (or fruit juice) in a test-tube and add a little of yeast to it. Close the
mouth of the test tube with a cork and allow it to stand for some time. Now, open the cork and
smell.
A characteristic smell of ethanol (ethyl alcohol) is obtained from the test tube. A gas is also
evolved during this process. when this gas is passed through lime-water, the lime water turns
milky showing that it is carbon dioxide gas. This experiment tells us that the products of
fermentation of sugar brought about by yeast are ethanol and carbon dioxide.