Aerobic respiration
| English | Chinese | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| aerobic respiration | 有氧呼吸 | yǒu yǎng hū xī |
| glucose | 葡萄糖 | pú táo táng |
Respiration with oxygen
- When plenty of oxygen is available, cells use the most efficient method: aerobic respiration 有氧呼吸.
- It releases a lot of energy from each glucose 葡萄糖 molecule.
The products of aerobic respiration are:
Glucose + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water.
The aerobic respiration equation is the reverse of photosynthesis.
Glucose + oxygen → CO₂ + water reverses CO₂ + water → glucose + oxygen.
Besides carbon dioxide, aerobic respiration produces ______.
The products are carbon dioxide and water.
The aerobic equation
- Glucose + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water (+ energy).
- It is the reverse of photosynthesis.

Aerobic respiration needs oxygen and gives a lot of energy; anaerobic gives much less
Aerobic respiration
Aerobic respiration releases a LOT of energy from glucose using oxygen.
Compared with anaerobic respiration, aerobic respiration releases:
Aerobic respiration is far more efficient.
Lots of energy
- Aerobic respiration releases a large amount of energy per glucose.
- This is why it's the body's normal, preferred method at rest and in gentle activity.

Aerobic respiration releases energy for sustained exercise
In aerobic respiration, oxygen is:
Oxygen is a reactant, used up in the reaction.
The gases involved
- Oxygen is used up; carbon dioxide and water are produced.
- The carbon dioxide is carried in the blood to the lungs and breathed out.
Worked example. During a gentle walk, your muscles get enough oxygen, so they respire aerobically: glucose + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water, releasing plenty of energy with no waste build-up.
You've got it
- aerobic respiration: glucose + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water (+ energy)
- it releases a large amount of energy per glucose
- oxygen is used; carbon dioxide and water are the products