Biology·Organisation & maintenance · NSSCO 3.10.2
Anaerobic respiration
Narrated lesson · press play
Releasing energy without oxygen — why your muscles ache during a sprint, what the oxygen debt is, how yeast makes bread rise and beer brew, and why anaerobic respiration gives so much less energy.
What you'll learn in this lesson
By the end you should be able to (NSSCO Biology 3.10.2):
- Define anaerobic respiration as breaking down nutrients to release a small amount of energy without oxygen
- State the word equation in muscles (glucose → lactic acid) and for yeast (glucose → ethanol + CO₂)
- Describe lactic acid in muscles and the oxygen debt; and the role in brewing and bread-making
- Compare the energy released by aerobic and anaerobic respiration
Loading your lesson…
You're watching a free 3-minute preview — create a free account to keep going.
Hands-on lab
Investigate fermentation in yeast in 3D