CELLULAR RESPIRATION

(Chemical Events)
For General Biology 1 / Grade 11
Quarter 2 / Week 5
 FOREWORD

This learning kit will serve as a guide for students in

understanding cellular respiration which is considered as one of
the metabolic processes occurring among living organisms. All
organisms require energy in order to perform various life processes.
This energy used by the cells is in the form of ATP. Through
respiration energy is harnessed from the food taken in.

This kit will enable students to familiarize the various

significant events and stages involved in the production of energy
as well as the essential elements needed for the process to occur.

Moreover, students shall be able to distinguish the

difference between aerobic and anaerobic type of respiration
and relate it to actual commonly observed phenomenon.

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OBJECTIVE:
K: Describe the major features of cellular respiration
S: Explain the chemical events of the cellular respiration
A: Explain the importance of Cellular respiration to our daily life.

LEARNING COMPETENCY

➢ Explain the major features and sequence the

chemical events of the cellular respiration.
STEM_BIO11/12- IIa-j-7

I. WHAT HAPPENED
Challenge Yourself

Activity 1: Essay
Direction: Answer the following question. Write your answer in
the notebook.
1. Do you think your body is able to use all the glucose
you have consumed in your meal? How much is the sugar
content in your average meal?

II. WHAT I NEED TO KNOW

Cellular Respiration
Cellular Respiration is the process that breaks down
food molecules, usually in the form of glucose, to turn into
carbon dioxide and water. The chemical equation for
cellular respiration is C6H12O6 + 6O2 -6H2O + 6CO2. This is the
reverse chemical reaction of photosynthesis. However, it
undergoes a different process. In cellular respiration, ATP is
produced to be used in all cellular processes that require
energy.
This chemical equation of cellular respiration is also a
redox reaction. Because glucose has lost an electron, it is
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 said to be oxidized. Meanwhile, oxygen has gained some
electrons, so it is said to be reduced.

Also, note that hydrogen atom is made up of a

hydrogen ion and a free electron, and thus, when these
hydrogen atoms are removed from glucose, the same
happens to the electron. Similarly, when hydrogen atoms are
added to oxygen, so are the electrons.

Glucose is a high-energy molecule, whereas carbon

dioxide and water are low-energy ,molecules. In the
chemical equation, the breakdown of glucose to produce
carbon dioxide and water releases energy. This is the energy
used in producing ATP.

In cellular respiration in humans, up to 36 ATP molecules can be produced with the input of oxygen and
glucose in the cells.

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 In cellular respiration, the energy released from the
breakdown of glucose happens gradually. If the breakdown
happens all the same time, so much energy will be wasted
as unused heat. Depending on certain conditions, cellular
respiration can create up to an average yield of 36-38 ATP
molecules, which is about 39% of the energy originally stored
in glucose. This is already considered efficient, as compared
to other processes such as the conversion of solar energy to
electricity, which is only 15% efficient.

NAD+ and FAD

These are many metabolic reactions involved in cellular
respiration, and each is catalyzed by its own enzymes. One
important example is nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (
NAD+), which is coenzyme in the redox reaction. During
oxidation, NAD+ accepts two electrons and a hydrogen ion,
producing NADH. The high-energy electrons received by
NAD+ are transported to the ETC. Cells need just a little
amount of NAD+ because it is used over and over again.
Another significant coenzyme in the redox reaction is flavin
adenine dinucleotide ( FAD ). Depending on the conditions
where NAD+ cannot be used, cells use FAD instead to
accept two electrons and two hydrogen ions to become
FADH2. Both NAD+ and FAD are important electron carriers
(coenzymes) in cellular respiration.

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NADH and FADH2 give off two hydrogen ions and two electrons upon oxidation. These electrons will play
an important role in cellular respiration later on.

Purpose of Cellular Respiration

All cells need to be able to obtain and transport energy

to power their life functions. For cells to continue living,
they must be able to operate essential machinery, such as
pumps in their cell membranes which maintain the
cell’s internal environment in a way that’s suitable for life.

The most common “energy currency” of cells is ATP – a

molecule which stores a lot of energy. In its phosphate
bonds. These bonds can be broken to release that energy
and bring about changes to other molecules, such as those
needed to power cell membrane pumps.

Because ATP is not stable over long periods of time, it is

not used for long term energy storage. Instead, sugars
and fats are used as a long-term form of storage, and cells
must constantly process those molecules to produce new
ATP. This is the process of respiration.

The process of aerobic respiration produces a huge

amount of ATP from each molecule of sugar. In fact, each
molecule of sugar digested by a plant or animal cell yields 36
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molecules of ATP! By comparison, fermentation usually only
produces 2-4 molecules of ATP.

Anaerobic respiration processes used by bacteria and

archaebacteria yield smaller amounts of ATP, but they
can take place without oxygen. Below, we’ll discuss how
different types of cellular respiration produce ATP.

Types of Cellular Respiration

Aerobic respiration is the process by which organisms use

oxygen to turn fuel, such as fats and sugars, into chemical
energy. In contrast, anaerobic respiration does not use
oxygen.

Respiration is used by all cells to turn fuel into energy that

can be used to power cellular processes. The product of
respiration is a molecule called adenosine triphosphate
(ATP), which uses the energy stored in its phosphate bonds to
power chemical reactions. It is often referred to as the
“currency” of the cell.

Aerobic respiration is much more efficient, and produces ATP

much more quickly, than anaerobic respiration. This is
because oxygen is an excellent electron acceptor for the
chemical reactions involved in generating ATP.

Source: https://biologydictionary.net/aerobic-respiration/
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Overall Equation
The equation for aerobic respiration describes the reactants and
products of all of its steps, including glycolysis. That equation is:

1 glucose + 6 O2 → 6 CO2+ 6 H2O + 38 ATP

In summary, 1 molecule of six-carbon glucose and 6 molecules of

oxygen are converted into 6 molecules of carbon dioxide, 6
molecules of water, and 38 molecules of ATP.

Anaerobic respiration is the type of respiration through which cells

can break down sugars to generate energy in the absence of
oxygen. This is in contrast to the highly efficient process of aerobic
respiration, which relies on oxygen to produce energy.

Molecular oxygen is the most efficient electron acceptor for

respiration, due to its high affinity for electrons. However, some
organisms have evolved to use other final electron acceptors,
and as such, can perform respiration without oxygen.

Source: https://biologydictionary.net/anaerobic-respiration/
Instead of oxygen, anaerobic cells use substances such as sulfate,
nitrate, sulfur, and fumarate to drive their cellular respiration. Many
cells can perform either aerobic or anaerobic respiration,
depending on whether oxygen is available.
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Activity II:
Brain Challenge!
Essay: Answer the following questions. Write your answer in
your notebook.
1. Explain the major features and sequence the chemical
events of the cellular respiration.
2. Explain the importance of Cellular respiration to our
daily life.

III. WHAT I HAVE LEARNED

Evaluation:
Part I:
MULTIPLE CHOICE: Choose the letter of the correct answer
and write in your notebook.

1. It is the process that breaks down food molecules, usually in the

form of glucose, to turn into carbon dioxide and water.
A. Chemical Respiration C. Photosynthesis
B. Cellular Respiration D. ATP

2. In cellular respiration, ____ is produced to be used in all cellular

processes that require energy.
A. Oxygen C. Sugar
B. Glucose D. ATP

3. The chemical equation of cellular respiration is also a _____

reaction.
A. Chemical C. Redox
B. Electrical D. Physical

4. It is the type of respiration through which cells can break down

sugars to generate energy in the absence of oxygen.
A. Aerobic Respiration C. Chemical Respiration
B. Anaerobic respiration D. Cellular Respiration
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5. It is the process by which organisms use oxygen to turn fuel,
such as fats and sugars, into chemical energy.
A. Aerobic Respiration C. Chemical Respiration
B. Anaerobic respiration D. Cellular Respiration

Part II
Analysis: Aerobic Respiration. Use the equation below to answer
the following questions.
3 glucose + 18 O2 → __CO2+ __H2O + __ATP

1. How many ATP you can produced?

2. How many molecules of water you can produced?

3. How many molecules of carbon dioxide you can produced?

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REFERENCES
Ayuste, Thaddeus Owen D., Oliva, Mylene D. G., “ DIWA
Senior High School Series: General Biology 1 Module” ( DIWA
LEARNING SYSTEM INC., Philippines, 2017) (Accessed
November 24, 2020)

Webpages:
Cellular Respiration: https://biologydictionary.net/cellular-
respiration/ (Accessed November 25, 2020)

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 SYNOPSIS

This Self learning kit deals with

explaining the major features and
sequence the chemical events of the
cellular respiration. Cellular respiration is the
process through which cells convert sugars
into energy. To create ATP and other forms
of energy to power cellular reactions, cells
require fuel and an electron acceptor
which drives the chemical process of
turning energy into a usable form.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

DEXTER JUNE G. TAGACTAC, is a licensed
professional teacher. He is a graduate of St. Paul
University Dumaguete, with the degree of Bachelor of
Secondary Education Major in Biological Science. He is
currently teaching at Negros Oriental High School as a
Senior High Science teacher. He is currently studying
Master of Arts in Science Teaching.

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PDO

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Librarian

DEXTER JUNE G. TAGACTAC

Writer

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Lay-out Artist
______________________________________________

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DISCLAIMER
The information, activities and assessments used in this material are designed to provide accessible learning
modality to the teachers and learners of the Division of Negros Oriental. The contents of this module are carefully
researched, chosen, and evaluated to comply with the set learning competencies. The writers and evaluator were
clearly instructed to give credits to information and illustrations used to substantiate this material. All content is
subject to copyright and may not be reproduced in any form without expressed written consent from the division.

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