GENERAL BIOLOGY 1

Aerobic and Anaerobic

Respiration
In order to perform the vital life processes, all cells need energy to form chemical
bonds during the synthesis of new parts as well as to activate reactions that
break bonds to convert complex molecules to simple ones.
This module contains significant activities in which you will be able to
differentiate aerobic from anaerobic respiration
After accomplishing this module, you are expected to:
• Differentiate aerobic from anaerobic respiration (STEM_BIO11/12-IIa-j-6)
• Explain the major features and sequence the chemical events of cellular
respiration (STEM_BIO11/12-IIa-j-7)
Specifically:
1. State the importance of cellular respiration
2. Explain how respiration allows organisms to obtain energy from food
3. Compare and contrast aerobic respiration from anaerobic respiration

Activity: Getting Familiar with Cellular Respiration

Direction: Unscramble the words below. Write your answers on a separate
sheet of paper.
1. tap ____________________________________
2. yoilgylssc ____________________________________
3. obrneacai____________________________________
4. yogxne ____________________________________
5. vrcuyip ____________________________________
6. hfad ________________________________________
7. brcaeoi ____________________________________
8. ofattmneirne ____________________________________
9. tocdhinomria ____________________________________
10. ieoirntprsa ____________________________________
Lesson

1
Cellular Respiration: Obtaining Energy From
Food
In your previous lesson, autotrophs like green plants and other chlorophyll-
bearing organisms such as algae and certain bacteria produce their own food
through the process of photosynthesis. However, animals and other heterotrophic
organisms depend, directly or indirectly on plants and other photosynthetic
organisms for food. The question is why do organisms need food? Let us find out
in this lesson.

The body needs energy and other materials in order to function and that food
that we eat are the sources. They need energy to move, grow, repair and
reproduce.

In the past lesson, you have learned that photosynthesis happens in the
chloroplast in plant cells. On the other hand, cellular respiration takes place in
mitochondria (sing.mitochondrion). It refers to as the cell’s power plant - as a
primary site of cellular respiration. It metabolizes glucose, the most common cell
fuel, to generate ATP (Adenosine triphosphate).

Figure 1. Mitochondrion
There are several processes under cellular respiration involving in the ATP
formation.

Glycolysis. It occurs in the cytoplasm by which one glucose molecule (a six-

carbon compound) is
broken down into two pyruvic acid (or pyruvate) molecules (a three-carbon
compound) generating two net ATPs and 2 NADH molecules (reduced NAD+
nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide molecule). The by-products produced in glycolysis
enter the mitochondria.

A. Energy investment of 2 ATPs

B. Energy return of 4 ATPs
C. NET: PRODUCED 4 ATPs
 Figure 2. Summary of Glycolysis
USED -2 ATPs
NET:2 ATPs
D. Produced 2 NADH (proceeds to the ETC)
E. Produced 2 pyruvates (proceeds to Krebs Cycle)
C6H12O6+ 6O2 6CO2+ 6 H2O + energy (≈ 36 ATPs)
-2 ATPs
34 ATPs
2 Pyruvates or Pyruvic Acid (C3H4O3)

There are two pathways in which ATP can be generated from pyruvic acid
molecules - Aerobic and anaerobic. In aerobic respiration, it involves the use of
oxygen. It takes place in the mitochondrion’s inner matrix and in the cristae.

Three major stages:

1. Conversion of pyruvic acid to Acetyl-CoA. The three-carbon pyruvic acid is first
converted into a two-carbon molecule or acetyl group called Acetyl- CoA.
During the transformation, the pyruvic acid loses H2 and produces CO2 +
NADH + H+ (as NAD+ accepts H2).
Prep stage: 2 NADH
2 CO2
2. Krebs cycle (Citric acid cycle or Tricarboxylic acid cycle). Named after the British
biochemist Sir Hans Adolf Krebs) refers to a series of enzyme-catalyzed reactions
that break down acetyl-CoA
completely into carbon dioxide and water. It takes place in the mitochondrial
inner matrix. For every molecule of acetyl-CoA that entered the Krebs cycle, one
molecule of ATP is produced with three molecules of NADH and one molecule of
FADH2 (FAD – Flavin adenine dinucleotide). There are two turns of the cycle since 1
glucose = 2 pyruvic acid = 2 acetyl CoA, the number of molecules
mentioned are doubled.
 Figure 4. Krebs cycle
3 molecules of NADH 2 molecules of CO2
1 molecule of FADH2 1 molecule of ATP

3. Electron transport chain or Oxidative phosphorylation. It transpires in the cristae of the

mitochondrion. It refers to a series of oxidation processes where (H 2+) carried by
NADH2 and FADH2 are transferred to electron acceptors (Coenzyme Q and
cytochrome b, c and a). ATPs are released and water as a by-product as electrons
are transferred. The final electron
acceptor is an oxygen molecule.

Figure 5. Electron transport chain

In aerobic respiration, the theoretical yield of ATP harvested from glucose is 38
molecules. This is reduced to 36 in eukaryotes because it takes 1 ATP to
transport each NADH molecule that is generated by glycolysis inside the
cytoplasm into the mitochondria. On the other hand, Anaerobic respiration. The term
closely related to this is fermentation which is the breakdown of pyruvic acid
without the use of oxygen.

A. Alcohol or Ethanol fermentation. It occurs in some plants cells and some one-celled
organisms like yeasts. During this process, pyruvic acid is converted to ethyl
alcohol. NAD+ and ethanol (ethyl alcohol) are produced. The bread made with
yeast release CO2 causes it to rise. Wine and beer are
the products of this process carried out by some microorganisms.

Pyruvic acid + NADH alcohol + CO2 + NAD+

B. Lactic acid fermentation. It takes place when there is a short supply of oxygen in
the cells. Lactic acid from glucose in the liver when pyruvic acid accepts
hydrogen from NADH+. This contributes to muscle fatigue.

Pyruvic acid + NADH lactic acid+ NAD+

Directions: Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the chosen letter on
a separate sheet of paper.
1. What end product do yeasts produce in fermentation of glucose?
A. ethyl alcohol and carbon dioxide.
B. lactic acid and carbon dioxide.
C. lactic acid and oxygen.
D. ethyl alcohol and oxygen.

2. The presence of lactic acid in the cells of an animal’s muscle tissue is an

indication that the ____
A. animal carries on a complex form of respiration during daylight hours.
B. animal is not adapted to the use of glucose.
C. number of mitochondria in the muscle cells has increased.
D. muscle cells have been active during a period of oxygen deficiency.

3. How many ATPs are used or consumed in the process of glycolysis?

A. 1 B. 2 C. 3 D. 4

4. Aerobic cellular respiration requires an adequate supply of ____.

A. carbon dioxide. B. oxygen. C. ethyl alcohol. D. starch

5. One molecule of glucose is broken down into two molecules of pyruvate as a

result of the______.
A. light reactions of photosynthesis. B. process of glycolysis.
C. digestion of a protein. D. diffusion of water across a
membrane
6. Water is produced at the end of ______
A. the Krebs cycle. B. lactic acid fermentation.
C. the electron transport chain. D. photosynthesis.

7. What gas is given off during cellular respiration?

A. oxygen B. methane C. hydrogen D. carbon dioxide

8. The first stage of cellular respiration is called _____.

A. glycolysis B. the Krebs cycle C. the Calvin cycle D. oxidative
respiration

9. What is the end product of glycolysis?

A. CO2 B. acetyl-CoA C. lactate D. pyruvate

10. The final output of the Krebs cycle includes all of the following EXCEPT__.
A. NADP B. FADH2 C. ATP D. CO2

11. What substance is produced by the conversion of pyruvate before entering

into the citric acid cycle?
A. pyruvate B. glucose C. acetyl-CoA D. O2

12. What role does O2 play in aerobic respiration?

A. it combines with acetyl-CoA at the start of the Krebs cycle
B. it is the final electron acceptor at the end of the electron transport chain
C. it is given off as a by-product during the conversion of pyruvate oxidation
D. it combines with H2O to help drive the ADP-ATP formation

13. During aerobic respiration, FADH2 is produced in_______.

A. Glycolysis B. the Krebs cycle
C. the electron transport chain D. fermentation

14. The term anaerobic means ______.

A. without bacteria B. without CO2
C. without O2 D with O2

15. The overall equation for the aerobic cellular respiration of glucose is ___.
A. CO2 + H2O → C6H12O6 + O2 + ATP + Heat
B. C6H12O6 + O2 → CO2 + H2O + ATP + Heat
C. C6H12O6 → Lactic acid + ATP + Heat
D. C6H12O6 à CO2 + Ethyl alcohol + ATP + Heat