Essential Reading - Cellular Respiration

Directions: After you complete the reading and work through the questions, summarize what you
learned in your notebook. Use the headings in green as a guide for what to include!

What is cellular respiration, who does it, and where does it occur?
All living things and the cells inside of them need energy to function and survive. Cellular respiration is
the process that cells do to produce cellular energy known as ATP. This cell energy is produced from
breaking down glucose that we get from our food.

All living things perform some type of cell respiration since all
living things are made of cells that need cell energy (ATP).
Simple organisms like bacteria perform a less complex form
of cell respiration. Complex organisms, like plants, animals,
and fungi have special organelles known as mitochondria
that perform the job of cellular respiration. This is why
mitochondria are often referred to as the “powerhouses” of
cells. Their job is to produce the energy needed for cells to
perform work. Individual cells can have thousands of
mitochondria!
Table 1 - Mitochondria Density in Different Human Cell Type
Type of Cell in Human Body Average Number of
Mitochondria

Cardiac (Heart) Cell 4,000

Muscle Cell 3,000

Skin Cell 500

Nephron (Kidney Cell) 1,000

1. What question do you think led to the data that was collected in table 1?
How does the density of mitochondria e ect the ability of cellular respiration?
Does the amount of mitochondria e ect the amount of cellular respiration it does?

2. What is the independent variable and the dependent variable in table 1?

IV- Di erent type of cell
DV- Amount of mitochondria
3. Propose an explanation for why some cells have a higher number of mitochondria compared to
others. Use an example from table 1!
Having more mitochondria give the cells more energy.
What is the chemical equation for cellular respiration?
To perform most types of cellular respiration, oxygen (O2) and the sugar glucose (C6H12O6) are needed.
These two molecules are the reactants of cellular respiration and are written on the left side of the
chemical equation. When the glucose molecule is broken down with oxygen, carbon dioxide (CO2), water
(H2O), and cellular energy (ATP) are formed as products that are written on the right side of the
equation.

Complete the model of the cellular respiration reaction below by writing the words under the molecules
that are in the reactants and products. Draw a BOX around the reactants and CIRCLE the products
glucose
oxygen carpioride water celestoration

reactants products

How do the reactants needed for cellular respiration get to the mitochondria?
To perform cellular respiration, both glucose and oxygen
need to get to the mitochondria of every cell in an organism
so that they can produce cellular energy (ATP). In plants,
the glucose comes from photosynthesis. In humans, glucose
comes from the digesting and breaking down of food that
we eat. As food moves through our stomach and intestines,
glucose diffuses into the bloodstream. Your blood moves
throughout the body and delivers glucose to your cells
through diffusion.

The other reactant in cellular respiration, oxygen, enters our

cells when we breathe in (inhale). As our lungs fill with air,
oxygen diffuses from our lungs and into our bloodstream. This
oxygen is then delivered by the blood to every cell in the body
through diffusion.

4. True or False: Animals, such as humans,

could not perform cellular respiration if it
weren’t for plants.

5. Plants don’t breathe in oxygen like we do. Where do you think plants get their oxygen
that they need for cell respiration? (Think about the equation for photosynthesis!)
in some ofthephotosynthesis
Through photosynthesisby keeping
How do the products produced in respiration leave the cells and body?
Carbon dioxide exits the body in a similar way that oxygen enters. As mitochondria in cells produce
carbon dioxide in cellular respiration, it diffuses out of the cell and into the blood, where it is then carried
to the lungs. Carbon dioxide then diffuses into the lungs and exits when you breathe out, or exhale.
Carbon dioxide is poisonous in high concentrations.

Water, the other product in cellular respiration, has several different destinations. Some water is kept by
the cells, while some is exhaled as a gas (water vapor). When you “see your breath” on a cold day, what
you’re really seeing is warm water leaving your body and condensing in the cold air. Water can also be
lost through sweat, which helps us keep cool. Excess (extra) water is lost through urination. Water is
able to move from place to place in your body through osmosis.

6. Complete the model below by adding oxygen (O2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) on
the lines to indicate the flow of each within your body. Each will be used twice.

CO2 02

Arteries 0 49
Distribute to 40
Veins
oxygen rich
blood
collect and
blood your body
poor to
reture
heart

02 02