Respiration

Respiration is a chemical reaction that happens in all living cells. It is the way that energy is released from glucose so that all the other chemical processes needed for life can happen.

During hard exercise not enough oxygen can reach the muscle cellsso anerobic respiration occurs. Anaerobic respiration produces much less energy than aerobic respiration. Lactic acid builds up in the muscles and causes pain and fatigue. Lactic acid can only be broken down once you start aerobic respiration again. Anaerobic respiration happens in microoganisms such as bacteria because thay need to release energy. Yeast can carry out an anaerobic process called fermentation.

Glucose and oxygen react together in cells to produce carbon dioxide,water and release energy. The reaction is called aerobic respiration because oxygen from the air is needed for it to work. Most respiration takes place in the mitochondria found in the cell cytoplasm.