Lesson 1 of 5
What is respiration?
Goal: State what respiration is and how it differs from breathing.
Respiration is a chemical reaction in every living cell. It releases energy from glucose.
- Every living cell respires, all the time. The girl, the cat and the plant are all respiring, even in their sleep. Cells need the energy to move, to keep warm and to grow.
- Respiration that uses oxygen happens in the mitochondria of plant cells and animal cells. The energy is released a little at a time, not all at once.
- Respiration is not breathing. Breathing moves air into and out of the lungs. Respiration is a chemical reaction inside cells.
Watch out: respiration releases energy. Never write that it “makes” energy.
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Key words in this lesson
Respiration A chemical reaction in cells that releases energy from glucose
Breathing Moving air into and out of the lungs
Glucose The sugar that cells break down in respiration
Oxygen The gas that aerobic respiration uses up
Mitochondria The parts of a cell where aerobic respiration happens