Respiration (Life Processes)
Overview
Respiration is a vital life process
where organisms convert food into energy. This energy is essential for all
bodily functions and activities, from basic metabolic processes to physical
exertion. The respiration process involves the intake of oxygen and release of
carbon dioxide.
Types of Respiration
- Aerobic Respiration:
- Location: Mitochondria
- Process: Complete breakdown of
glucose in the presence of oxygen.
- Products: Carbon dioxide, water,
and a large amount of energy.
- Equation:
- C6H12O6+6O2→6CO2+6H2O+Energy
- C6H12O6+6O2→6CO2+6H2O+Energy
- Anaerobic Respiration:
- Location: Cytoplasm
- Process: Partial breakdown of
glucose without oxygen.
- Products in Yeast:
Ethanol and carbon dioxide.
- Products in Muscles:
Lactic acid (causes cramps).
- Equation (Yeast):
- C6H12O6→2C2H5OH+2CO2+Energy
- C6H12O6→2C2H5OH+2CO2+Energy
Cellular Respiration Pathways
- Glycolysis: Breakdown of glucose into
pyruvate (occurs in cytoplasm).
- Krebs Cycle: Further breakdown of
pyruvate into carbon dioxide and water (occurs in mitochondria).
Energy Currency - ATP
- ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate):
- Acts as the energy currency in cells.
- Formed from ADP (Adenosine Diphosphate) and
inorganic phosphate.
- Energy is released when ATP is broken down
into ADP.
Gas Exchange in Plants
- Stomata: Tiny pores on leaves for
gas exchange.
- Daytime: Carbon dioxide intake for
photosynthesis.
- Nighttime: Oxygen intake for
respiration.
- Guard Cells: Regulate the opening and
closing of stomata.
Respiration in Animals
- Aquatic Animals:
- Use gills to extract dissolved oxygen from
water.
- Faster breathing rate due to lower oxygen
concentration in water.
- Terrestrial Animals:
- Use lungs to breathe atmospheric oxygen.
- Air is filtered by nostrils, passed through
the trachea, and reaches alveoli in the lungs where gas exchange occurs.
Human Respiratory System
- Pathway of Air:
- Nostrils → Pharynx → Larynx
→ Trachea → Bronchi → Lungs → Alveoli.
- Alveoli:
- Tiny sacs in the lungs
where gas exchange occurs.
- Surrounded by blood
vessels.
- Oxygen diffuses into blood;
carbon dioxide diffuses out.
- Breathing Mechanism:
- Inhalation: Diaphragm
contracts, ribcage expands, air is drawn into the lungs.
- Exhalation: Diaphragm
relaxes, ribcage contracts, air is expelled from the lungs.
Importance of Respiratory Pigments
- Haemoglobin:
- Found in red blood cells.
- Binds with oxygen for transport to tissues.
- High affinity for oxygen ensures efficient
transport.
Activities
- Carbon Dioxide Test:
- Objective: Demonstrate the presence of
CO₂ in exhaled air.
- Materials: Lime water, test tube,
straw or syringe.
- Procedure: Blow air through lime
water; observe it turning milky, indicating CO₂ presence.
- Fermentation Experiment:
- Objective: Observe CO₂ production during
fermentation.
- Materials: Fruit juice, yeast, test
tube, cork, bent glass tube, lime water.
- Procedure: Add yeast to juice, cork
the test tube, place the tube in lime water; observe lime water turning
milky.
Questions for Review
- Differences between Autotrophic and
Heterotrophic Nutrition:
- Autotrophic: Organisms make their own
food (e.g., plants via photosynthesis).
- Heterotrophic:
Organisms consume other organisms for food (e.g., animals).
- Raw Materials for Photosynthesis:
- Water: Absorbed by roots from
soil.
- Carbon Dioxide:
Taken in through stomata from air.
- Sunlight: Absorbed by chlorophyll
in leaves.
Health Note: Dangers of Tobacco
- Tobacco Use:
- Harmful to lungs, heart, liver.
- Causes cancer, heart attacks, strokes,
pulmonary diseases.
- High incidence of oral cancer in India due
to chewing tobacco.
- Advice: Avoid
tobacco and its products for a healthy life.
Summary
Respiration is a
vital process for all living organisms, enabling them to release energy from
food. While plants and animals have different mechanisms and adaptations for
respiration, the fundamental need for oxygen and the production of carbon
dioxide are universal. Understanding respiration helps us appreciate the complexity
of life processes and the importance of maintaining respiratory health.
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