Aerobic respiration Edexcel International GCSE Biology revision
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In plain words
Food is fuel, and respiration is the slow, controlled burning of it inside your cells. With oxygen, glucose is broken down completely to carbon dioxide and water, and its energy is released for the cell to use.
Three things to know
- Respiration is the chemical reactions in cells that break down nutrient molecules to release energy. It happens in every living cell, all the time.
- Aerobic respiration uses oxygen: glucose + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water. C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂ → 6CO₂ + 6H₂O. It happens in the mitochondria.
- The energy is used for muscle contraction, making proteins, cell division, growth, active transport, sending nerve impulses and keeping warm.
Tips and tricks
- Respiration releases energy. "Produces" or "makes" energy loses the mark.
- The equation is photosynthesis backwards. Learn one and you know both.
It lands in your notebook with its questions as flashcards.
Aerobic respiration: 5 questions and answers
These are the quiz’s questions. Do the quiz first, then come back here for the ones that got you.
What does aerobic respiration need, besides glucose?
Aerobic means "with oxygen".
What are the products of aerobic respiration?
Glucose is broken down completely.
Where in a cell does aerobic respiration take place?
Active cells have many of them.
What is respiration?
It is not the same as breathing.
Which process does not need energy from respiration?
Diffusion is passive.
Quiz
5 questions
Tap an answer and you’ll see straight away whether it’s right, and why.
Worksheet
3 questions, 7 marks. Write your answers on paper, then check them.
Aerobic respiration
Edexcel International GCSE Biology 4BI1 · 7 marks · papermunch.org
Name ______________________________ Date ______________
Write the word equation for aerobic respiration.[2]
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Glucose + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water.
State three uses of the energy released by respiration in the human body.[3]
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Any three: muscle contraction, protein synthesis, cell division, growth, active transport, nerve impulses, maintaining body temperature.
Explain why muscle cells contain many mitochondria.[2]
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Muscles need a lot of energy to contract, and aerobic respiration, which releases it, happens in the mitochondria.
Answers: Aerobic respiration
- 1. Glucose + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water.
- 2. Any three: muscle contraction, protein synthesis, cell division, growth, active transport, nerve impulses, maintaining body temperature.
- 3. Muscles need a lot of energy to contract, and aerobic respiration, which releases it, happens in the mitochondria.