Cellular

Respiration
Notes
Cellular respiration is the process of using oxygen in the mitochondria to chemically break
down organic molecules such as glucose to release the energy stored in its bonds. In the
process molecules of water and carbon dioxide are released as waste products. Some of the
energy is used to make Adenosine triphosphate, ATP, from Adenosine diphosphate and
phosphate. ATP is the main energy currency of cells.

Below is the structural Formula for ATP (from Wikipedia). Notice the three phosphate
molecules on the left. To release energy, one phosphate is removed leaving ADP. To store
energy, the phosphate is replaced and ADP is restored to ATP.

Heterotrophs as well as autotrophs utilize cellular respiration to supply the energy to power
cellular activities. To understand cellular respiration, one must understand the principles of
photosynthesis. Why do you think that is so?

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 One simple explanation is this: through the process of photosynthesis the energy from
sunlight is used to change water and carbon-dioxide into glucose with oxygen being tossed
out as a waste byproduct.

PHOTOSYNTHESIS EQUATION:

CELLULAR RESPIRATION EQUATION:

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Cellular Respiration begins with a biochemical pathway called GLYCOLYSIS. This is a process
in which one molecule of glucose is broken in half by enzymes in the cytoplasm, producing 2
molecules of pyruvic acid and only 2 molecules of ATP. Glycolysis releases a relatively small
amount of the energy stored in glucose.

If oxygen is present, glycolysis acts as the first step for 2 more processes, the Krebs Cycle
and the electron transport chain. This series of reactions produces 36 molecules of ATP!

All processes that require oxygen are described as "aerobic". Cellular respiration is an
aerobic process.

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If sufficient oxygen is not present in the cell, glycolysis is followed by a different pathway
called fermentation. Fermentation does not produce much energy.

Processes that do not require oxygen are "anaerobic" processes. Fermentation is an

The following drawing depicts the events of fermentation. Notice that glycolysis is the first
step in the process that results in 2 molecules of ethanol alcohol.

Cellular Respiration - Aerobic Processes

You can draw an analogy between the process of cellular respiration in your cells and a car.
The mitochondria represent the engines of our cells where sugar is burned for fuel and the

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exhaust is CO2 and H2O. Note that in a car that burned fuel perfectly, the only exhaust
should theoretically be CO2 and H2O also.

There are 3 steps in the process of cellular respiration:

 glycolysis,
 the Krebs Cycle, and
 the electron transport chain.

1. Aerobic respiration – occurs when the two pyruvic acid molecules from glycolysis are
modified and diffuse into the mitochondria where the next two processes occur.

a. The Krebs Cycle, also known as the Citric Acid Cycle, produces 2 ATP molecules, 10 energy
carrier molecules, and CO2 from each glucose molecule. These energy carriers move on to
the next step.

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b. The Electron Transport Chain is a series of chemical reactions that produces 34 ATP
molecules and H2O from the carrier molecules that were produced in the Krebs Cycle.

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Glucose is converted to pyruvate through a series of reactions that use 2 molecules of ATP
and produce 4 molecules, for a net gain of 2 ATP. Pyruvate enters the mitochondrion and is
processed through the Krebs Cycle; products from Krebs, diffuse through the inner
mitochondrial membranes in the electron transport chain. Oxygen atoms accept Hydrogen
ions and form water to remove the hydrogen ions.

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Remember exploring the organelles that are found in a cell? We learned about an organelle
called the mitochondrion--the Powerhouse of the cell. Here's how that organelle got its
nickname. The bulk of a cell's ATP is produced in the mitochondria.

To be energy efficient, particles must move through the membrane with little energy
expense.

Electron transport produces an uneven charge on the mitochondria membrane. This allows
protons to move through the membrane by electrical charge attraction rather than by using
energy. Protons now move through the membrane and are used by ATP synthase enzyme to
recycle ADP molecules and phosphate molecules to produce ATP.

2. Anaerobic respiration - Fermentation is an Anaerobic Process. There are several forms of

 Lactic acid fermentation: Occurs in animal cells when there is no oxygen available.
Pyruvic acid is converted into a waste product called lactic acid. When lactic acid
builds up in tissues, it causes muscle soreness. This causes the burning sensation in
your muscles.
 Alcoholic fermentation: Occurs in some plants and unicellular organisms such as
yeast and bacteria. The process converts pyruvic acid into ethyl alcohol and a carrier
compound (giving off CO2), which allows glycolysis to continue. This process occurs
when making bread, beer, and wine.

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Comparing energy yield:

Aerobic respiration (with oxygen) can produce 36 ATP molecules from each glucose
molecule. Anaerobic respiration (without oxygen) only allows production of 2 ATP molecules
from each glucose molecule. Therefore, aerobic respiration is significantly more efficient
than anaerobic respiration.

3. Energy and Exercise

Cells normally contain small amounts of ATP produced during glycolysis and cellular
respiration. At the start of a race, muscle cells only contain enough ATP for a few seconds of
activity. When running a long race, muscle cells are producing most of their ATP by lactic
acid fermentation. When the race is over, the only way to get rid of the extra lactic acid is to
acquire more oxygen. This is known as an "oxygen debt" because oxygen must be "paid
back" to the cells to remove the lactic acid. The debt is paid as you continue to breathe
deeply for several moments after the activity stops.

For longer races, cellular respiration is the only way to generate a continuing supply of ATP.
It releases energy more slowly than fermentation.

In this image glucose is converted first to pyruvate, then to lactic acid. This image was based
on a diagram published at Estrella MountainCommunity College.

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4. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PHOTOSYNTHESIS AND RESPIRATION

Have you answered the earlier question about why you need to understand the principles
of photosynthesis to fully understand cellular respiration? These two processes are the
reverse of each other. Water, carbon dioxide, carbohydrates and oxygen cycle between
these two processes. Energy moves through both processes in one direction

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