Core Ch 22 Respiration

22.1 Site of respiration

-outer membrane:
differentially permeablecontrol the movement of substances into and out of the
mitochondrion
-inner membrane:
highly folded to provide a large surface area to pack more enzymes for reactions of
respiration; also provide a large surface area to pack ETC for oxidative phosphorylation
-mitochondrial matrix:
provides a fluid medium for reactions to take place; contains enzymes for reactions of
respiration
-intermembrane space:
allows rapid movement of molecules between cytoplasm and the mitochondrial matrix

21.2 Stages of aerobic respiration

Stage of Site of Reactions involved Net number

respiration occurrence of ATP
formed per
glucose
molecules
Glycolysis Cytoplasm -glucose is split into 2 2
molecules of triose
phosphate using energy from
2 ATP molecules
-troise phosphate is oxidized
to pyruvate; 4 ATP and 2
NADH are formed
 Pyruvate to Mitochondrial -Pyruvate combines with 0
acetyl-CoA matrix coenzyme Aconverted to
acetyl-CoA
-1 CO2 and 1 NADH are
formed for each pyruvate
molecule (2 NADH per
glucose molecule)
Krebs cycle Mitochondrial -acetyl-CoA combines with a 2
matrix 4-C compound to form a 6-C
compound; coenzyme A is
regenerated
-6-C compound is oxidized
step by step to regenerate
the 4-C compound; 2 CO2, 3
NADH, 1ATP, 1FADH are
formed per 6-C compound
(6 NADH, 2ATP, 2FADH per
glucose molecule)
Oxidative Inner membrane -10 NADH and 2 FADH from 34
phosphorylation of glycolysis and Krebs cycle
mitochondrion are oxidized to lose
hydrogenhydrogen atoms
split into hydrogen ions and
electronselectrons pass
through a series of ETC (a
series of redox reactions) to
form 34 ATP molecules
-oxidation of NADH and
FADH also regenerates NAD
and FAD
-hydrogen ions & electrons
are finally accepted by
oxygen (final electron
acceptor) to form water
22.3 Anaerobic respiration
Formation of lactic acid in skeletal muscles:

-overall equation: glucose--------------->energy (2 ATP) + 2 lactic acid

-during strenuous exercise, anaerobic respiration is important for providing additional
energy in a very short timemuscles can contract more powerfully and at a higher rate
-we need to take in extra oxygen to break down the lactic acid into CO2 and water, or to
convert the lactic acid to glycogen in the liver (additional amount of oxygen required to
remove all the lactic acid—oxygen debt)

Formation of ethanol and CO2 in yeast:

-overall equation: glucose----------->energy (2 ATP) + 2 ethanol (2-C) + 2 CO2

Applications of alcoholic fermentation:

-brewing of beer/wine (yeast undergo anaerobic respiration to produce ethanol)
-bread-making (yeast undergo anaerobic respiration to break down the sugars in the
dough; CO2 formed by alcoholic fermentation in yeasts helps raise the dough and
expands inside the doughgive the bread a spongy texture)
-production of biofuels (alcoholic fermentation of yeast produce ethanol, a fuel to power
vehicles)
Application of lactic acid fermentation:
-anaerobic bacteria carry out lactic acid fermentation (break down lactose to lactic
acidlactic acid coagulate the milk proteinsgive yoghurt and cheese their distinct
flavours)

22.4 Comparison of aerobic and anaerobic respiration

/ Aerobic respiration Anaerobic respiration
Similarities -release energy from the oxidative breakdown of organic
substances (glucose)
-transfer energy to the energy carrier ATP, and some
energy is lost as heat
-consist of a number of reactions controlled by enzymes
Differences -occurs in cytoplasm and -occurs only in cytoplasm
mitochondria (glycolysis)
-oxygen is required -oxygen is not required
-organic substances are -organic substances are
completely broken down partially broken down to
into CO2 and water form lactic
-a larger amount of energy acid/ethanol+CO2
is released (38 ATP per (a large amount of
glucose) chemical energy is still
trapped in lactic
acid/ethanol)
-a much smaller amount of
energy is released (2 ATP
per glucose)

Respiration & Gas Exchange in Human (★★★★★)

1. Aerobic respiration & anaerobic respiration (alcoholic/lactic acid

fermentation)
{DSE 12 P1-9(c), AL 00 PIIA-3(a)(b), AL 05 PIA-2(a)(c), AL 09 PIA-5, CE
04-4(a)}
2. Respiration of a respiring animal/plant {CE 99-4(b)}
3. Basic metabolic pathway of glycolysis, Krebs cycle and ETC
{DSE 14 P1-1, DSE 12 P1-9(a)(b)(d)}
4. Labeled diagram of a mitochondrion {AL 05 PIIA-3(b)}
5. Gaseous Exchange in Alveolus (the process; structural adaptations of
alveolus)
{DSE 16 P1-11, CE 00-1(c), CE 05-4(a)}
6. Effects of smoking on gaseous exchange
-Tar (deposits on the wall of alveolus, thus reducing surface area for gaseous
exchange)
-CO (decreasing oxygen carrying capacity)
-Nicotine/tar (lung cancer, bronchitis, asthma, emphysema)
-Surface area of alveoli in smoker vs non-smoker
7. Mechanism of Breathing {AL 99 PIA-7(b), AL 02 PIIA-3(b), AL 07 PIB-9}
(a) Significance of increasing the rate & depth of breathing during exercise
(b) Control of breathing (medulla oblongata, the effect of CO2 on the rate &
depth of breathing) {CE 03-1(a) 2(b)(i)}
(c) Inspiration/Expiration {DSE 17 P1-5, CE 01-4(b)}
Question bank 
1. After an hour the water level rose to position A. Explain this phenomenon.

-germinating seeds used up oxygen in the glass container for respiration (1)
-and released carbon dioxide (1)
-which was absorbed by conc KOH (1)
-as the gas in the glass container became less, the gas pressure reduced—lower
than the atmospheric pressure (1)
-the higher atmospheric pressure would force the water level up to position A (1)

2. Two flasks contained yeast cells growing in equal volumes of a sugar

solution. Flask A received a constant air supply whereas flask B did not have any
air supply at all. Explain why the number of yeast cells at hour 20 is higher in
flask A than in flask B.

-in flask A, the yeast cells undergo aerobic respiration (1)

-whereas in flask B, the yeast cells undergo anaerobic respiration (1)
-anaerobic respiration releases less energy for growth of the yeast (1)
3. Draw and label a simple experimental set-up to show whether heat is
released by the yeast cells in flask A.

4. What change will occur to the water level in the U-tube after 15 minutes?
Explain your answer.

-the water level in limb X will rise (1)

-the live grasshoppers take up oxygen during respiration (1)
-and give out carbon dioxide which is absorbed by the sodium hydroxide
solution (1)
-as a result the air pressure inside flask A becomes lower than that in flask B
(1)
5. Explain what happens to the volume of the dough after keeping it at 30
degrees celsius for 1 hour.

-the volume of the dough increases (1)

-because the yeast carries out anaerobic respiration (1)
-which produces carbon dioxide that raises the dough (1)

6. Give a reason why the volume of the dough will not change anymore after it
has been kept in the oven (230 degrees) for 10 minutes.

-the yeast are killed/enzymes are denatured under high temperature (1)
so no more carbon dioxide is produced

7. Explain the importance of anaerobic respiration in the fitness test.

-to provide additional energy to the skeletal muscle cells (1)

-so that the skeletal muscles can contract more strongly (1)

8. Explain why this set-up can be used to measure the rate of respiration of the
mealworms.

-the mealworms absorbed oxygen during respiration (1)

-any carbon dioxide produced by the mealworms is absorbed by the soda lime
(1)
-there will be a drop in air pressure in the syringe and the water droplet will
be moved downwards (1)
-thus, the rate of movement of the water droplet indicates the rate of
respiration (1)
9. Based on biological principles, explain why the rate of respiration of
mealworms increases as the temperature increases.

-the body temperature of mealworms will rise with an increase in the

external temperature (1)
-thus the enzymatic activity of the worms increases (1)
-which leads to an increase in the metabolic rate (1)
thus the respiration rate increases

10. Based on your biological knowledge, explain why slow jogging is more
effective in removing lactic acid from the blood after exercise than sitting
down.

-slow jogging can maintain a relatively high rate of heart beat (1)
-which increases the rate of oxygen supply to the body (1)
-thus enhances the breakdown of lactic acid/conversion of lactic acid to
glycogen (1)

11.

Q: Suggest the key process that is inhibited by drug X. Explain.

-drug X inhibits glycolysis (1)

-as glycolysis is the first step in the respiratory pathway, the inhibition of
glycolysis will halt the processes that follow, i.e. Krebs cycle and oxidative
phosphorylation (1)
-hence, the overall production of pyruvate, ATP and NADH are greatly
reduced, showing that the whole respiratory pathway was jeopardized (1)
OR
-pyruvate is the product of glycolysis (1)
-as the production of pyruvate is greatly reduced after treating with drug X
(1)
-glycolysis is inhibited in this case (1)
Q: Suggest the key process that is inhibited by drug Y. Explain why there is an
accumulation of pyruvate in the muscle cells after treatment with drug Y.

-drug Y inhibits Krebs Cycle (1)

-when the respiratory pathway is halted at Krebs Cycle, pyruvate would not
be metabolized (1)
-but glycolysis still proceeds as usual and produce pyruvate (1)
as a result, pyruvate will accumulate