Biology · Respiration. The idea in plain words, the rules to remember, the mistake to avoid and a worked example, written and checked by Mega Lecture.
Aerobic respiration is the breakdown of glucose using oxygen. It releases a relatively large amount of energy, because the glucose is broken down completely to carbon dioxide and water. In plant and animal cells it takes place in the mitochondria, so cells that need a lot of energy, such as muscle cells, have many of them.
You must know the word equation and the balanced chemical equation. Notice the numbers: one glucose needs six oxygen molecules and gives six carbon dioxide and six water molecules.
Experiments detect respiration by the oxygen used up or by the carbon dioxide given out.
Students forget the 6s when balancing, or write the photosynthesis equation instead. Aerobic respiration is the photosynthesis equation reversed: glucose and oxygen are on the left.
Answer: 18 molecules of oxygen used and 18 molecules of carbon dioxide released (and 18 of water).
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