Introduction
In this investigation I intend to show how respiration varies and alters during exercise, I will attempt a prediction of what I think will happen at the end of the tests based upon my scientific knowledge. I will also include how the test will be carried out, concerning fair testing, and I will show and evaluate my results in a result table and graphs.
Our bodies need energy to keep us alive. We release energy from our food by a process called respiration. Respiration happens in every cell of the body and is very important to both plants and animals to keep us alive. The food we use for respiration is usually glucose but other kinds of food can be used if enough glucose is not available. Respiration usually involves oxygen, this kind of respiration is called aerobic respiration and it provides most of the energy we need. The waste products in aerobic respiration are the carbon dioxide and water, both of which are summarised in the word equation below:
Glucose + Oxygen › Water + Carbon Dioxide + Energy
Although most of the energy produced is lost as heat, the rest that is released is used for all of the life processes a living creature has. If more energy is needed that cannot be produced by aerobic respiration then anaerobic respiration takes place. An example would be that when exercising energetically, anaerobic respiration increases. For this to happen the cells involved, in this case the muscle cells, need an increased supply of glucose and oxygen. For this reason breathing gets faster and deeper to take in more oxygen. The oxygen diffuses from the alveoli in the lungs straight into the bloodstream. Once in the bloodstream the oxygen becomes attached to the red blood cells and the heart beats faster to get the oxygen and glucose to the muscles quicker.
In this investigation I intend to show how respiration varies and alters during exercise, I will attempt a prediction of what I think will happen at the end of the tests based upon my scientific knowledge. I will also include how the test will be carried out, concerning fair testing, and I will show and evaluate my results in a result table and graphs.
Our bodies need energy to keep us alive. We release energy from our food by a process called respiration. Respiration happens in every cell of the body and is very important to both plants and animals to keep us alive. The food we use for respiration is usually glucose but other kinds of food can be used if enough glucose is not available. Respiration usually involves oxygen, this kind of respiration is called aerobic respiration and it provides most of the energy we need. The waste products in aerobic respiration are the carbon dioxide and water, both of which are summarised in the word equation below:
Glucose + Oxygen › Water + Carbon Dioxide + Energy
Although most of the energy produced is lost as heat, the rest that is released is used for all of the life processes a living creature has. If more energy is needed that cannot be produced by aerobic respiration then anaerobic respiration takes place. An example would be that when exercising energetically, anaerobic respiration increases. For this to happen the cells involved, in this case the muscle cells, need an increased supply of glucose and oxygen. For this reason breathing gets faster and deeper to take in more oxygen. The oxygen diffuses from the alveoli in the lungs straight into the bloodstream. Once in the bloodstream the oxygen becomes attached to the red blood cells and the heart beats faster to get the oxygen and glucose to the muscles quicker.
