What is Respiration?

Respiration is a process of releasing energy from glucose. Respiration is a chemical reaction.

The first stages of respiration take place in the cytoplasm of cells.

Respiration happens in every cell of every living organism.

A waste product of respiration is carbon dioxide.

The energy released by respiration is used for all the other chemical reactions, that keeps you alive.

At the time of normal human respiration, glucose reacts with oxygen to produce energy.

There are two types of respiration, aerobic and anaerobic.

Aerobic respiration uses plenty of oxygen. Most of the reactions that make up aerobic respiration occur in the mitochondria

Anaerobic respiration does not use any oxygen. Anaerobic respiration is different in different organism.

In humans, anaerobic respiration creates a substance called lactic acid.

Some plants can respire anaerobically.

Anaerobic respiration take place only in the cytoplasm of cells.

Human muscle can respire anaerobically only for short periods of time.

Response to Exercise

During exercise the human body need additional energy. The heart rate, breathing rate and breath volume increase during exercise to supply the muscles with more oxygenated blood.

If there is not enough oxygen being supplied anaerobic respiration takes place in muscles.

The incomplete oxidation of glucose causes a build up of lactic acid and creates an oxygen debt. During long periods of vigorous exercise muscles become tired and stop contracting efficiently.