Respiration
Objectives
Students should be able to:
Define the terms respiration
Differentiate between breathing and respiration
Describe the mechanism of breathing
Write the chemical equation for respiration
Differentiate between aerobic and anaerobic respiration
(anaerobic respiration in muscle cells and yeast cells)
Describe gaseous exchange in the alveoli
What is Respiration?
A chemical reaction where glucose is oxidized to release energy inside cells.
That is reacting food with oxygen.
The breakdown of glucose to release energy in cells.
Reactions are catalysed by enzymes
Main food substance which oxidized in cells is glucose
C6H12O6 + 6O2 enzymes 6CO2 + 6H2O + energy
Because the process takes place in all
living cells, it is called cellular respiration
which is used to produce energy for cells
to use.
Where does the oxygen comes from? the
AIR.
Does that mean respiration is the same as
breathing? No!!!!!!!!!!!
(Respiration is not the same thing as breathing)
The energy produced is a form chemical energy. The
energy is store temporarily as Adenosine triphosphate
(ATP).
Give me an example of a process in living organism
that involves respiration.
One example? of this is the release of energy in muscle
cells to make them contract and produce movement.
Breathing
• We breathe in air all the time. Breathing involves two processes:
Inhalation-the taking in of air rich in oxygen
Exhalation-the letting out of air rich in oxygen
Breathing is not respiration!! It simply is the process by which oxygen is
taken in and carbon dioxide is removed from the body.
The process of taking in oxygen and removing carbon dioxide is also known
as gaseous exchange as we are exchanging one gas to compensate for the
other.
We’ll talk more about gaseous exchange later!!
16
Question 1
What is the most important point about respiration?
(a) it uses oxygen
(b) It produces energy
(c) It produces carbon dioxide
(d) It needs food and air
17
Question 2
In which part of the human body is respiration most likely to
be occurring?
(a) The lungs
(b) The heart
(c) The muscles
(d) All of these
18
Question 3
Which of these are waste products of respiration?
(a) Carbon dioxide
(b) Water
(c) Oxygen
(d) Nitrogen
bronchiole
larynx
Intercostal
muscles trachea
- have ring
pleural of cartilage
fluid
left lung
alveoli left
pleural bronchus
membranes heart
rib diaphragm
How the Human Respiratory
System Works
The Respiratory System helps
you breathe. When the human
body breathes air, it gets sucked
through the nostrils or the
mouth..
The respiratory system
• The human respiratory system is a series of organs responsible for taking in
oxygen and expelling carbon dioxide. The primary organs of the respiratory
system are lungs, which carry out this exchange of gases as we breathe.
• In fact, its main function is to provide oxygen for respiration and get rid of its
waste product, carbon dioxide from the body.
• That is, it consists of linked air passages-the trachea (windpipe), bronchi (sing:
bronchus) and the lungs.
Inhaling air and the
nasal cavity
• When we breathe in air, it enters the respiratory system through the nose and then
into the nasal cavity (the nasal cavity is the space behind the nose).
• The nasal cavity serves to connect the nose with the air passages that leads to the
lungs.
• The nasal cavity and air passages are lined with mucous membranes that produce
slimy mucus which moistens and warms air as well as trap dirt and germs from air.
• It is important to keep air moist as dry air can dry out and damage the air sacs in the
lungs.
Inhaling air and the
nasal cavity
• The cells of mucous membrane also have tiny hair-like structures known as cilia
that move in a wave like form. These cilia also helps to trap dust and germs as
well as prevent mucus getting into the lungs where it can block them.
• It does this by moving the mucus up towards to your nose or to the back of the
throat where it can be expelled by blowing your nose or swallowing or spitting it
out.
Inhaling air and the
nasal cavity
• From the nasal cavity, air moves down through the
larynx. • The larynx
• The pharynx belongs to both respiratory & digestive
system. It is the cavity behind the nose and mouth.
• The pharynx is the body cavity that connects the nasal
and oral cavities with the larynx and esophagus. It is
commonly referred to as the throat.
• Larynx consists of cartilage and is located at the entrance
of trachea. It is within this cartilage that vocal cords are
located.
Inhaling air and the nasal cavity
• Air passes through the pharynx and into the trachea.
• The trachea lies in front of oesophagus and extends into
the thoracic cavity
• The top of the trachea has a small flap of tissue called
the epiglottis that closes over the trachea to prevent
food from entering when you swallow.
• The trachea is kept opened by C-shaped ring cartilage
located along its length.
• Please remember the trachea is also lined by mucous
membranes and cilia.
• In the chest or thorax cavity, the trachea branches into
two (2) smaller tubes known as the bronchi (singular:
bronchus).
• The two bronchi subdivides into many bronchioles
• One bronchus goes to the left lung and one to the right.
Trachea
The lungs
• The lungs are spongy sacs located inside the chest cavity
where they are protected by ribs.
• Inside the lung, the bronchi branch many times into smaller
tubes called bronchioles and then into a bunch of tiny sacs
called alveoli.
• The lung contains many alveoli and this is where gaseous
exchange takes place.
Respiratory System
trachea
bronchus
(bronchi)
bronchioles
Bronchioles
& Alveoli
bronchiole
alveoli
Structure of Lung
• Lungs are protected by the thoracic basket
which is made up of vertebrae, ribs and
sternum
• Each lung is surrounded by two pleural
membranes
• The inner membrane is in contact with
the lungs and the outer membrane lines
against the walls of the thorax and
diaphragm
• Between the two membranes is
pleural cavity which contains a
pleural fluid secreted by the
membranes
• The pleural fluid lubricates
the pleura so to reduce
friction as the pleural
membranes rub against each
other during breathing
Thoracic Basket
(rib cage)
sternum
vertebrae
pleural cavity
- absorb shock ribs
2 pleural
membranes
• The intercostal muscles are muscles
that are situated in between the ribs
Mechanism of Breathing that create and move the chest wall.
• The intercostal muscles are mainly
involved in the mechanical aspect of
• Breathing is the process that breathing. These muscles help expand
moves air in and out of the lungs. and shrink the size of the chest cavity
• Breathing brings fresh air (O2) into to facilitate breathing.
the lung and takes carbon dioxide
out of the lung.
• Brought about by the action of
diaphragm & intercostal muscles
• Divided into two processes :
inhalation (inspiration) &
exhalation (expiration)
The mechanism of breathing
• Please click on the link below to watch the video to help understand
the ‘mechanism of breathing.’
• YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUVMok4Qp-Y
The mechanism of breathing
The mechanism of breathing
The internal intercostal muscles relax and The external intercostal muscles relax and
the external intercostal muscles contract the internal intercostal muscles contract
The movement of air in and out of the lung is also known as
ventilation.
Component Inhaled air Exhaled air Reasons
Oxygen 21 % 16 % ?
Carbon dioxide 0.04 % 4% ?
Nitrogen 78 % 78% ?
Water vapour Variable Saturated ?
Other gases 1% 1% ?
Temperature variable Always higher ?
Factors affecting the rate of breathing
Exercise
Smoking - Can make your lungs turn black and not work well
Anxiety - When someone is anxious, they take quick
shallow breaths which reduce the amount of air reaching the
lungs. They then start to breathe faster to compensate for the
oxygen needed by the body. If you continue to breathe faster,
you may hyperventilate, have a panic attack or even faint.
Factors affecting the rate of breathing
Drugs- Using drugs can keep your brain from telling your
lungs to breathe.
Environmental factors - pollutants
Altitude- The higher you go, the less oxygen you have
available. This is why climbers tend to carry oxygen tanks with
them.
Weight.
Distinction between
gaseous exchange and
breathing
Gaseous exchange and breathing are necessary for cellular
respiration
Breathing is the process that moves air in and out of the
lungs.
Gas exchange is the delivery of oxygen from the lungs
to the bloodstream, and the elimination of carbon dioxide
from the bloodstream to the lungs and out of the body. It
occurs in the alveoli of the lungs.
It is at the alveoli where gas exchange takes place. It occurs by diffusion
Gaseous Exchange in
Alveoli
atmosphere
O2 CO2
Lungs(alveoli)
CO2 (by
O2 + haemoglobin
plasma and
in form of oxyhaemoglobin
HCO3 )
- (by red blood cell)
tissue
air moves out air moves in
during expiration during
deoxygenated inspiration oxygenated blood
blood from to pulmonary vein
pulmonary
artery cell in
capillary wall
CO2
O2 plasma
cell in
red alveolar wall
blood cell
mucus
General features of gaseous exchange
surfaces.
Are ideally very thin (about one cell thick0 and porous so that gases
can diffuse quickly and efficiently.
Have a large surface area to increase the rate of diffusion
Are moist to prevent surface cells from drying out
Have a good supply of oxygen (they are well ventilated) to maintain a
concentration gradient for diffusion
Are close to transport systems (for example, the blood and circulatory
systems in large animals) to ensure gases can be transported to and
from the different cells in the different parts of the body..
Gaseous exchange in plants
•Plants obtain the gases they need through their leaves. They
require oxygen for respiration and carbon dioxide for photosynthesis.
•The gases diffuse into the intercellular spaces of the leaf through pores,
which are normally on the underside of the leaf - stomata. From these
spaces they will diffuse into the cells that require them.
•Stomatal opening and closing depends on changes in the turgor of the guard
cells. When water flows into the guard cells by osmosis, their turgor
increases and they expand. Due to the relatively inelastic inner wall, the
guard cells bend and draw away from each other, so the pore opens. If the
guard cells loose water the opposite happens and the pore closes.
Gaseous exchange in plants
•Respiration occurs throughout the day and night, providing the plant with a
supply of energy. Photosynthesis can only occur during sunlight hours so it
stops at night. A product of respiration is carbon dioxide.
•This can be used directly by the plant in photosynthesis.
•However, during the day, photosynthesis can be going 10 or even 20 times
faster than respiration (depending on light intensity), so the stomata must
stay open so that the plant has enough carbon dioxide, most of which
diffuses in from the external atmosphere.
Gaseous
Exchange in Alveoli
Deoxygenated
blood
Pulmonary artery Lung
Oxygenated
blood
Pulmonary vein
Tissue Heart
Oxygenated
blood
Anaerobic Respiration
Respiration in human is mainly aerobic respiration as
oxygen is essential.
When oxygen is not needed during respiration, it is
called anaerobic respiration
Yeast and muscle cells are examples of cell that can
respire anaerobically for a short time
Lactic Acid Fermentation
Extra oxygen is required for undertaking
strenuous exercise
• People cannot supply enough oxygen to
muscles even if they breathe faster and
deeper.
Muscle need to produce energy anaerobically
by breaking down glucose into lactic acid
enzymes
C6H12O6 2C3H6O3 + energy
Glucose enzymes lactic acid + energy (ATP)
Lactic acid will cause muscle fatigue and muscle
cramps if they are allowed to accumulate.
A large amount of oxygen is needed to break down the accumulated lactic acid into
carbon dioxide and water or turn to glycogen in liver for storage so we pant after doing
exercise.
The amount of oxygen required to get rid of lactic acid is called oxygen debt.
This is repaid by breathing hard to take in extra oxygen after the activity.
Equation for oxygen debt repayment
Lactic acid + oxygen carbon dioxide + water
Alcoholic Fermentation
Without oxygen, some plant and microorganisms
such as yeast cells respire as follows:
enzymes
C6H12O6 2CO+2 2C2H5OH (ethanol)+ energy
Amount of energy released anaerobically is
smaller when compared with the aerobic method.
Industrial Use of
Yeast Fermentation
Alcohol produced is used for:
1. brewing beer
2. making wine
Carbon dioxide released is used for:
1. baking bread
Comparison of Aerobic and
Anaerobic Respiration
Similarities
Sugar is broken down to release energy
ATP is made
Both are controlled by enzymes
Differences
aerobic anaerobic
respiration respiration
oxygen
essential nil
requirement
oxidation of complete incomplete
sugar oxidation oxidation
energy large small
released amount amount
Differences (cont’d)
aerobic anaerobic
respiration respiration
organic:
end inorganic:
ethanol or
products CO2 and H2O
lactic acid
in lower organisms
in most (e.g. bacteria and
occurrence
living cells yeast) and
vertebrate muscles
Differences between
Respiration and Photosynthesis
aerobic photosynthesis
respiration
produces carbon requires carbon
dioxide and water dioxide and water
energy is energy (light)
released is absorbed
an oxidative a reductive
process process
Differences between Respiration and
Photosynthesis (cont’d)
aerobic photosynthesis
respiration
a breaking down a synthetic process
process
occurs in all occurs in green
living cells at plants only when
all times light is available
occurs in occurs in
mitochondria chloroplasts
ATP - adenosine triphosphate
Energy is mainly released as heat and ATP during respiration in cells
ATP releases energy when the phosphate bond is broken in a hydrolysis
reaction
However, during respiration, some ATP should be consumed first before
other ATP can be formed
The ATP consumed is used to form other ATP from ADP and phosphate
groups
from broken
ATP + water ADP + phosphate + energy
phosphate bond
+ energy
ADP + phosphatebreakdown (from
of glucose) ATP + water
ATP is a high-energy compound while ADP is a
low-energy one
ATP can only store energy for a short period
ATP is made inside organelles, mitochondria,
which is scattered in the cytoplasm of a cell
Uses of the Energy Released
during Respiration
Human Other Animals Plants
Muscle produce light absorb
contraction in fireflies mineral salts
by active
transport
Keep warm produce sound transport food
in some birds substances
Absorb food by produce smell in
active transport some mammals
Smoking & Health
• Composition of a cigarette :
carbon monoxide + nicotine + tar = cigarette
• Effects on health :
(I) Tar :
Tar is carcinogenic (cancerous)
- producing cancer of
the lungs, lips, tongue pharynx, larynx .
Smoking & Health
(II) Nicotine :
Causes heart diseases
Paralyses the cilia lining the trachea , so they can not
remove dirt and bacteria you therefore develop a cough.
Highly addictive/dependence
Retards growth of foetus
(III) Carbon Monoxide :
Combines irreversibly with haemoglobin and
prevents it from carrying oxygen
haemoglobin + CO carboxyhaemoglobin
Causes:
decrease in physical fitness
cause air pollution
causes breathlessness
Smoking and Health Hazards
1.Lung Cancer
Smoking increase the risk of lung cancer.
2.Heart disease
Nicotine increases the workload of heart
increase the rate of heart attack.
Smoking and Health Hazards
3.Chronic bronchitis
Smoking causes inflammation of trachea and
bronchitis.
The severe chronic bronchitis can cause death
4.Emphysema
Causes of "smoker's cough"
Smoker cough causes damage of alveolar wall in lungs
Passive Smoking
• Process of breathing in smoke from
cigarette smokers
• Causes nose, throat & eye irritations
Warning
DO NOT SMOKE !!!!!
Passive Smoking
Even brief exposures can trigger symptoms including:
•irritation of the eyes and nose
•headaches
•sore throat and cough.
Long term exposure to SHS can have serious adverse health
effects including:
•heart disease
•lung cancer.
