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Chapter 20: Problem 10

What does respiration mean in everyday language, and what larger meaning does it have in biological chemistry?

Short Answer

Expert verified
In everyday language, 'respiration' typically refers to the process of breathing: inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide. In biological chemistry, however, respiration refers to the complex process that converts nutrients into energy within cells, requiring oxygen (hence the breathing), and producing carbon dioxide as a byproduct.

Step by step solution

01

Define Respiration in Everyday Language

Respiration, in everyday language, commonly refers to the act of breathing. It is the process of inhaling oxygen from the air and exhaling carbon dioxide back into the air.
02

Define Respiration in Biological Chemistry

In the context of biological chemistry, respiration has a more specific meaning. It refers to the process by which cells transform nutrients (particularly glucose) into energy (in the form of Adenosine Triphosphate, ATP) and waste products. This process requires oxygen and produces carbon dioxide as a byproduct. It occurs in three main stages: Glycolysis, the Citric Acid Cycle (also known as the Krebs Cycle), and the Electron Transport Chain. Each stage happens in different parts of the cell and involves various chemical reactions. The energy collected during these reactions is stored in ATP molecules, which cells use to perform their vital functions.
03

Highlight the Relationship Between the Two Definitions

It's noteworthy that these two definitions of respiration are connected. In the act of breathing, oxygen is taken into the body and delivered to the cells, where it is used in the chemical process of cellular respiration to convert nutrients into energy. The carbon dioxide produced during this process is then transported out of the cells, back to the lungs, and exhaled. Hence, 'breathing' is linked to the biological process of cellular respiration.

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