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Respiration in plants
During the process of nutrition, organisms take in food material which is used in cells to provide energy for various life processes.
Different organisms use different pathways to break down glucose to release energy.
The first step in this process is the breakdown of glucose into a three-carbon molecule called pyruvate, which takes place in the cytoplasm.
Pyruvate can be converted into ethanol and carbon dioxide during anaerobic respiration, which occurs in the absence of oxygen. For example, yeast uses anaerobic respiration during fermentation to produce bread, wine, and beer.
Pyruvate can also be broken down using oxygen in aerobic respiration, which takes place in the mitochondria. This process releases a lot more energy than anaerobic respiration and produces carbon dioxide and water as waste products.
In some cases, when there is a lack of oxygen in our muscle cells, pyruvate is converted into lactic acid instead of going through aerobic respiration. This process is called anaerobic respiration and produces less energy than aerobic respiration. The build-up of lactic acid in our muscles during sudden activity can cause cramps.
Examples of organisms that use anaerobic respiration include bacteria and yeast, while animals and plants.
