PRESIDIUM INDIRAPURAM

Grade 7
SCIENCE HANDOUT
Chapter- Respiration in organisms

Respiration - The biological process in which food is utilized to produce energy is called respiration.
Respiration is necessary for survival of the living beings. A living being cannot survive even for a few
seconds, without respiration. During respiration, it is mainly the carbohydrate which is oxidised to produce
energy. This can be shown by following equation:

Carbohydrate + oxygen ------> carbon dioxide + water + energy.

Site of respiration: Respiration happens inside the cells. As respiration happens inside the cell, it is also
called cellular respiration .A cell organelle, called mitochondria is the site of cellular respiration.

Types of Respiration:
Aerobic respiration: Aerobic respiration takes place in the presence of oxygen. Carbon dioxide and water
are the end, products of aerobic respiration .Aerobic respiration happens in most of the organisms
(In Presence of Oxygen)
Glucose --------------------------------- Carbon Dioxide + Water + Energy

Anaerobic Respiration: Anaerobic respiration takes place in the absence of oxygen .Anaerobic
respiration usually happens in most of the microbes. Alcohol and carbon dioxide are formed at the end of
anaerobic respiration.
( In Absence of Oxygen)
Glucose --------------------------------- Alcohol + Carbon dioxide + Energy
In some cases lactic acid is formed at the end of anaerobic respiration.

(In Absence Of Oxygen)

Glucose ------------------------------------ Lactic acid + Energy

Anaerobic respiration also happens in our muscle cells. When someone runs or walks too fast, he may face
throbbing pain/ cramps in muscles. This happens due to the deposition/ accumulation of lactic acid,
produced by anaerobic respiration.
If the person is given massage or hot water bath, the cramp goes away. These methods improve blood
circulation due to which ample amount of oxygen reaches the cells/muscle. The incomplete breakdown of
glucose becomes complete. Also if the person rests for some time, the pain goes away.

Breathing-- the process of taking in and giving out air for respiration is called breathing. Breathing involves
two main steps which are:
Inhalation- During inhalation air which is rich in oxygen is taken in.
Exhalation- During exhalation we breathe out air which is rich in carbon dioxide.
A breath is one inhalation plus one exhalation.

MECHANISM OF BREATHING: The breathing is controlled by the movement of diaphragm. Diaphragm

is a membrane which is in between chest and abdomen.The movement of diaphragm is controlled by the
group of muscles. It is the floor of chest cavity.
Inhalation: When the diaphragm moves down, the rib cage expands. The ribs move up and outwards.
This leads to the expansion inside the lungs. As a result, the air moves into the lungs this process is called
inhalation.
Exhalation: When the diaphragm moves up, the rib cage contracts. The ribs move down and inwards.
This leads to contraction of lungs and the air is exhaled out. The exhaled air contains more carbon dioxide
and water vapor as compared to the inhaled air. It is because when glucose is broken down by oxygen to
release energy; carbon dioxide and water are formed.
Rate ofbreathing - When we are doing normal activities, the rate of breathing is normal. The rate of
breathing increases when we do strenuous activities like running, swimming, jogging etc. The rate of
breathing decrease when we take rest or when we are sleeping. Breathing rate is the number of breaths
taken per minute. It is 15-18 for an adult taking rest. It may increase to 25 during heavy exercise/running.
Breathing in Animals:
(a) Humans, reptiles, birds and mammals use lungs for breathing.
(b) Amphibians breathe through their skin when they are underwater. They use lungs when on land.
Ex.frog
(c) Fishes have pair of gills. They breathe air dissolved in water through gills.
(d) Cockroach and other insects breathe through spiracles and trachea. There is a network of hollow
tubes called trachea. Each trachea opens on the body surface in form of very small pores. These
pores are spiracles.
(e) Earthworms breathe through their skin. The skin of earthworms remains moist, which helps in
breathing.
Breathing in plants:
Each plant part breathes through its external layer of cells. Roots breathe through root hairs. Stems breathe
through epidermis. Leaves have numerous small pores called stomata for breathing.

Q1.Why do we do we respire?
Ans. We respire to use oxygen to oxidize our food and release energy this is similar like burning but a
slower process than burning and energy released can be stored for later use.
Glucose (C6H12O6) + O2--------------> CO2+ H2O +Energy.
Q2.Explain the similarities between aerobic and anaerobic respiration.
Ans (i) Both aerobic and anaerobic respiration are necessary for the survival of living organisms
(ii) In both type of respiration the food is broken down.
(iii) Energy is released for the functioning of organisms in both processes.
Q3.Why Human breathing mechanism is called tidal breathing?
Ans. Human breathing mechanism is called tidal breathing because air comes in and goes out
using the same path.
Q4.Why does an athlete breathe faster and deeper than usual after finishing the race?
Ans. The food has stored energy which is released during respiration. Therefore, all living organisms
respire to get energy, from food by breathing the air. During heavy exercise, fast running, cycling, walking
for many hours or heavy weight lifting, the demand for energy is high. Therefore to meet the extra demand
for energy, an athlete breathes faster and deeper than usual after finishing the race.
Q5. Why do we often sneeze when we inhale a lot of dust –laden air?
Ans. When we inhale a lot of dust- laden air, dust particles get trapped in the hair present in our nasal cavity.
However, sometimes these particles may get past the hair in the nasal cavity. Then they irritates the lining of
the cavity as a result of which we sneeze. Sneezing expels these foreign particles from the inhaled air and
dust free and clean air enters our body.
Q6. Write a short note on gills.
Ans. Gills in fish helps them to use oxygen dissolved in water and thus help them in breathing. Gills are
projections of their skin. They are well supplied with blood vessels for exchange of gas.

Q7. Why should we cover our nose while sneezing?

Ans. We should cover our nose while sneezing, so that the foreign particles expelled during sneezing don't
get inhaled by other people.

Q8.What role does hair present in nasal cavity play in the process of respiration?
Ans. Air around us contains various unwanted particles like smoke, dust, pollen etc. During inhalation of air
these particles get trapped in the hair of nasal cavity and thus these hair allow only clean air to enter our
body.

Q9.Do the plants also respire?

Ans. Like all other organisms, plants also respire for their survival. They take oxygen from the air and give
out carbon dioxide. In the cells oxygen is used to breakdown glucose into carbon dioxide and water as in
other organisms.

Q10. Differentiate between aerobic and anaerobic respiration.

Ans. Aerobic Respiration Anaerobic Respiration.

i. Aerobic respiration takes place in presence
of oxygen.
ii. In aerobic respiration breakdown of
glucose results in production of carbon
dioxide, water and energy.
iii. In aerobic respiration respiratory organ
like lungs or gills are used. Ex. Humans,
Birds ,fish
i. Anaerobic respiration does not require oxygen.
ii. In anaerobic respiration in yeast, alcohol is
produced. In case of muscles lactic acid and
energy are produced.
iii. Anaerobic respiration place at cellular or
muscular level. Ex. Yeast (Anaerobe)

Q11. Explain cellular respiration.

Ans. The air we breathe is transported to every part of body and ultimately it is transported to each cell. In
the cells oxygen present in air helps in the breakdown of food, this process of breakdown of food in the cell
with the release of energy is called cellular respiration. Cellular respiration occurs in the cells of all
organisms.

Q12. Why we get muscle cramps after heavy exercise?

Ans. During heavy exercise demand of energy is high. But the supply of oxygen to produce energy is
limited. Then anaerobic respiration takes place in the muscle cells to fulfill the demand of energy.
Glucose (absence of oxygen) ------------------> Lactic acid +Energy.
The cramps occur only when the muscles cells respire anaerobically .The partial breakdown of glucose
produces lactic acid which accumulates in the muscles causing muscle cramps.

Q13. How do we breathe/ Explain the mechanism of breathing in humans?

Ans. We take in air through our nostrils, when we inhale air it passes through our nostril into nasal cavity
and from there it reaches our lungs through the wind pipe, also known as trachea. Lungs are present in chest
cavity which is surrounded by ribs on the side, diaphragm forms floor of the chest cavity. Breathing involves
a movement of diaphragm and the ribcage. Ribs move up and outward and diaphragm moves down because
of diaphragm movement space in a chess cavity increases and air rushes into the lungs. During exhalation
ribs move down and inward and diaphragm moves up to its former position, this reduces the size of chest
cavity and air is push out of the lungs.

Q14. Explain all body parts involved in respiration.

Ans. We take in air through nostrils, when we inhale air, it passes through our nostrils into the nasal cavity
and from there it reaches our lungs through the wind pipe. Lungs are present in chest cavity which is
surrounded by ribs on the side, diaphragm form the floor of the chest cavity. Breathing involves movement
of diaphragm and ribcage.

Trachea divides into two bronchi (singular- Bronchus)

Q15. Write the differences between respiration and breathing.

RESPIRATION
i. Respiration involves both physical and
chemical process
ii. Respiration involves oxidation of food to
release energy.
iii. Respiration is the sum of external and
Internal respiration.
iv. Respiration releases energy.
v. Respiration takes place in all the cells of the
body.
BREATHING
i. Breathing is purely physical process.
ii. Breathing is the action of taking in oxygen
and giving out carbon dioxide.
iii. Breathing is the sum of inhalation and
exhalation
iv. Breathing does not release energy.
v. Breathing take place only in the organs
involved in the process