« Aerobic Respiration | Main | Micro-organisms »

Anaerobic Respiration

Anaerobic respiration is the process of gaining energy without oxygen. This is done by breaking down glucose to make lactic acid and energy. It is mainly used in short burst events such as sprinting and javelin.

The formula for this is:

anaerobic_respiration_equation.gif


Lactic acid builds up in the bloodstream, which creates muscle cramp. This is because there is no oxygen being used to break down the lactic acid. The amount of oxygen needed to break down all of the lactic acid is the oxygen debt. The only way to get rid of the cramp is to breathe more to allow more oxygen into the bloodstream.

Post a comment

(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)