Respiration Notes
Respiration Notes
Respiration Notes
The process of releasing energy from food is called respiration. The process of
respiration involves taking in oxygen (of air) into the cells, using it for releasing energy
by burning food, and then eliminating the waste products (carbon dioxide and water)
from the body.
The process of respiration which releases energy takes place inside the cells of the body.
So, it is also known as cellular respiration.
Respiration is essential for life because it provide energy for carrying out all the life
processes which are necessary to keep the organism alive.
Types of Respiration -
In most of the cases, the organisms carry out respiration by using oxygen. However
there are some organisms which carry out respiration without using oxygen. Based on
this, we have two types of respiration:
In aerobic respiration, the glucose food is completely broken down into carbon dioxide
and water by oxidation. Aerobic respiration produces a considerable amount of energy
for use by the organism.
Mitochondria are the sites of aerobic respiration in the cells. Thus, the breakdown of
pyruvate to give carbon dioxide, water and energy takes place in mitochondria.
2.Anaerobic Respiration: The respiration which takes place without oxygen is called
anaerobic respiration.
The microscopic organisms like yeast and some bacteria obtain energy by anaerobic
respiration (which is called fermentation). In anaerobic respiration, the microorganisms
like yeast break down glucose (food) into ethanol and carbon dioxide, and release
energy.
When we run too fast, the energy demand from the muscles increases which is
compensated by anaerobic respiration and lactic acid is formed in this process. The
deposition of lactic acid causes pain in the legs or called as muscular cramps.
In this respiration,
In this respiration,
oxygen is not
oxygen is required.
required.
In anaerobic
In aerobic
respiration, ethanol,
respiration, CO2 and
Lactic acid are
H2O are produced.
produced.
Respiratory
Animals
Organ
Earthworm Skin
In human beings, many organs take part in the process of respiration. These organs are
called organs of respiratory system.
1. EXTERNAL NOSTRILS: They are two oblique large openings which occur above
the mouth at the top of nose. They lead internally into nasal chambers.
2. NASAL CAVITY : The nasal passage is lined with fine hair and mucus.When air
passes through the nasal passage, the dust particles and other impurities present
in it are trapped by nasal hair and mucus so that clean air goes into lungs.
3. PHARYNX : The part of throat between the mouth and wind pipe is called
pharynx.
4. LARYNX : Pharynx opens into wider part of trachea called as larynx. It’s
opening is called as glottis. A small leaf like cartilaginous flap called epiglottis
covers the glottis during swelling to prevent the entry of food and water in the
respiratory tract.
5. TRACHEA : It is a tube that arises from the base of larynx, about 10-12 cm long
and 2-3 cm wide. Trachea does not collapse even when there is no air in it
because it is supported by rings of soft bones called cartilage .The trachea runs
down the neck and divides into two smaller tubes called bronchi at its lower end.
6. BRONCHI : Trachea divides into two branches called bronchi . The bronchi are
connected to the two lungs. Each bronchus divides in the lungs to form a large
number of still smaller tubes called `bronchioles' which opens in to sac like
structures called as alveoli.
7. ALVEOLI : The walls of alveoli are very thin and they are surrounded by very
thin blood capillaries. It is in the alveoli that gaseous exchange takes place.
8. LUNGS : These are pair of pinkish , conical ,spongy and elastic sacs that function
as respiratory organs .They lie in the thoracic cavity , one on each side . Each lung
is covered by two membranes or pleura outer parietal pleuron and inner visceral
pleuron. They form a fluid filled thin sac called as pleural sac which protects the
lungs from mechanical shocks and injuries and provides frictionless movement
to lungs.
INHALATION: : . When we breathe in, we lift our ribs and flatten our diaphragm and the
chest cavity becomes larger as a result. Because of this, air is sucked into the lungs and
fills the expanded alveoli
EXCHANGE OF GASES : The alveoli are surrounded by thin blood vessels called
capillaries carrying blood in them. So, the oxygen of air diffuses out from the alveoli
walls into the blood. The oxygen is carried by blood to all the parts of the body. As the
blood passes through the tissues of the body, the oxygen present in it diffuses into the
cells The oxygen combines with the digested food present in the cells to release energy.
Carbon dioxide gas is produced as a waste product during respiration in the cells of the
body tissues. This carbon dioxide diffuses into the blood. Blood carries the CO2 back to
the lungs where it diffuses into the alveoli.
EXHALATION: When we breathe out air, the diaphragm and muscles attached to the
ribs relax due to which our chest cavity contracts and becomes smaller. This contraction
movement of the chest pushes out CO2 from the alveoli of lungs into the trachea, nostrils
and then out of the body into air.
Respiration in Earthworm: The earthworm exchanges the gases through its skin. The
earthworm absorbs the oxygen needed for respiration through is moist skin.
Respiration in Fish: The fish has special organs for breathing called 'gills'. The fish has
gills on both the sides of its head .The fish lives in water and water contains dissolves
oxygen in it. The fish breathes by taking in water through its mouth and sending it over
the gills.
Terrestrial animals can breathe in the atmosphere, but animals that live in water (aquatic animals)
need to use the oxygen dissolved in water. Since the amount of dissolved oxygen in water is fairly
low compared to the amount of oxygen in the air, the rate of breathing in aquatic organisms is much
faster than that seen in terrestrial organisms.
Like animals, plants also need energy. The plants get this energy by the process of
respiration. Plants also use oxygen of air for respiration and release carbon dioxide.
Plants get Oxygen by Diffusion :Plants have a branching shape, so they have quite a large
surface area in comparison to their volume. Therefore, diffusion alone can supply all the
cells of the plants with as much oxygen as they need for respiration .Diffusion occurs in
the roots, stems and leaves of plants.
Respiration in Roots: Air occurs in soil interspaces. Root hairs of the roots are in direct
contact with them. Oxygen of the soil air diffuses through root hair and reaches all
internal cells of the root for respiration. Carbon dioxide produced by root cells diffuses
in the opposite direction. In water-logged conditions, soil air becomes deficient. In the
absence of oxygen, metabolic activity of the root declines and the plant may wither.
Respiration in Stems:
The stems of herbaceous plants have stomata. The oxygen from air diffuses into the
stem of a herbaceous plant through stomata and reaches all the cells for respiration. The
carbon dioxide gas produced during respiration diffuses out into the air through the
same stomata. In woody stems, the bark has lenticels for gaseous exchange.
Respiration in Leaves:
The leaves of a plant have tiny pores called stomata. The exchange of respiratory gases
in the leaves takes place by the process of diffusion through stomata.