Syllabus Edition

First teaching 2015

Last exams 2025

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Respiration

Alistair Marjot

Written by: Alistair Marjot

Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett

Respiration

What is respiration?

  • Respiration and photosynthesis can be described as processes with inputs, outputs, and transformations of energy and matter

  • Respiration is the conversion of organic matter into carbon dioxide and water in all living organisms, releasing energy

  • Aerobic respiration can be simply described as: glucose + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water

Word equation for aerobic respiration, IGCSE & GCSE Chemistry revision notes

Aerobic respiration

  • Inputs: organic matter (glucose) and oxygen

  • Processes: oxidation processes inside cells

  • Outputs: release of energy for work and heat

  • Transformations: stored chemical energy is transformed into kinetic energy and heat

  • During respiration, large amounts of energy are dissipated as heat, increasing the entropy in the ecosystem while enabling the organisms to maintain relatively low entropy/high organisation

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