Notes Life Processes (Repiration)

Life Processes (Respiration)
• The process by which a living being utilises the food to get energy, is called respiration.
• Respiration is an oxidation reaction in which carbohydrate is oxidized to produce energy.
• Mitochondria is the site of respiration and the energy released is stored in the form of ATP
(adenosine triphosphate).
• ATP is stored in mitochondria and is released as per need.
Steps of respiration:
• Breaking down of glucose into pyruvate: This step happens in the cytoplasm. Glucose
molecule is broken down into pyruvic acid. Glucose molecule is composed of 6 carbon atoms,
while pyruvic acid is composed of 3 carbon atoms.
• Breakdown of Pyruvic Acid: Further breaking down of pyruvic acid takes place in
mitochondria and the molecules formed depend on the type of respiration in a particular
organism. Respiration is of two types, viz. aerobic respiration and anaerobic respiration.
• Respiration involves
• Gaseous exchange: Intake of oxygen from the atmosphere and release of CO2 →
Breathing.
• Breakdown of simple food in order to release energy inside the cell → Cellular
respiration
Types of Respiration
Aerobic respiration: This type
of respiration happens in the
presence of oxygen. Pyruvic acid
is converted into carbon dioxide.
Energy is released and water
molecule is also formed at the
end of this process.
• Anaerobic
respiration: This type of
respiration happens in the
absence of oxygen.
Pyruvic acid is either converted into ethyl alcohol or lactic acid. Ethyl alcohol is usually formed
in case of anaerobic respiration in microbes, like yeast or bacteria. Lactic acid is formed in
some microbes as well as in the muscle cells.
• Glucose (6 carbon molecule) → Pyruvate (3 carbon molecules) + Energy
• Pyruvate (In yeast, Absence of O2) → Ethyl alcohol + Carbon dioxide + Energy
• Pyruvate (In muscles, lack of O2) → Lactic Acid + Energy
• Pyruvate (In mitochondria; the presence of O2) → Carbon dioxide + Water + Energy
Pain in leg muscles while running:
• When someone runs too fast, he may experience throbbing pain in the leg muscles. This
happens because of anaerobic respiration taking place in the muscles.
• During running, the energy demand from the muscle cells increases. This is compensated by
anaerobic respiration and lactic acid is formed in the process.
• The deposition of lactic acid causes pain in the leg muscles. The pain subsides after taking
rest for some time.
Exchange of gases:
• For aerobic respiration, organisms need a continuous supply of oxygen, and carbon dioxide
produced during the process needs to be removed from the body.
• Different organisms use different methods for the intake of oxygen and expulsion of carbon
dioxide.
• Diffusion is the method which is utilized by unicellular and some simple organisms for this
purpose.
• In plants also, diffusion is utilized for exchange of gases.
• In complex animals, respiratory system does the job of exchange of gases.
• Gills are the respiratory organs for fishes where gaseous exchange takes place. Fishes take
in oxygen which is dissolved in water through gills.
• Since, availability of oxygen is less in the aquatic environment, so the breathing rate of
aquatic organisms is faster.
• Insects have a system of spiracles and tracheas which is used for taking in oxygen.
• Terrestrial organisms have developed lungs for exchange of gases.
• Availability of oxygen is not a problem in the terrestrial environment so breathing rate is
slower as compared to what it is in fishes.
Terrestrial organisms: Use atmospheric oxygen for respiration.
Aquatic organisms: Use dissolve oxygen for respiration.
Human respiratory system

The human respiratory system is
composed of a pair of lungs. These are
attached to a system of tubes which
open on the outside through the
nostrils.
Following are the main structures in

the human respiratory system:
1. Nostrils: There are two nostrils
which converge to form a nasal
passage. The inner lining of the
nostrils is lined by hair and
remains wet due to mucus
secretion. The mucus and the
hair help in filtering the dust particles out from inhaled air. Further, air is warmed up when it
enters the nasal passage.
2. Pharynx: It is a tube-like structure which continues after the nasal passage.
3. Larynx: This part comes after the pharynx. This is also called voice box.
4. Trachea: This is composed of rings of cartilage. Cartilaginous rings prevent the collapse
of trachea in the absence of air.
5. Bronchi: A pair of bronchi comes out from the trachea, with one bronchus going to each
lung.
6. Bronchioles: A bronchus divides into branches and sub-branches inside the lung.
7. Alveoli: These are air sacs at the end of bronchioles. The alveolus is composed of a very
thin membrane and is the place where blood capillaries open. This is alveolus, where the
oxygen mixes with the blood and carbon dioxide exits from the blood. The exchange of
gases, in alveoli, takes place due to the pressure difference.
Breathing Mechanism
• The breathing mechanism of lungs is controlled by the diaphragm and the movement of ribs.
• The diaphragm is a membrane which separates the thoracic chamber from the abdominal
cavity.
• When the diaphragm moves down, ribs move out and the lungs expand so the air is inhaled.
• When the diaphragm moves up, the lungs contract and air are exhaled.

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Life Processes (Respiration)

Human respiratory system

Following are the main structures in

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