Chapter 14 – Respiration in Plants Questions and Answers: NCERT Solutions for Class 11 Biology

1. Differentiate between
(a) Respiration and Combustion
(b) Glycolysis and Krebs’ cycle
(c) Aerobic respiration and Fermentation

Solution:
a)Respiration and Combustion
Respiration
Combustion
It is a biochemical process
It is a physicochemical process.
Temperature stays low
Temperature drastically raises
Occurs in living cells
It is a non-cellular process
Energy entrapped in the form of ATP
ATP is not required for the combustion process
b) Glycolysis and Krebs’ cycle
Glycolysis
Krebs Cycle
The first step in respiration
The second step in respiration
Takes place in cytoplasm
Takes place in mitochondria
Occurs both aerobically and anaerobically
Occurs only in aerobic
Two ATPs are consumed
ATPs are not consumed
The net gain is 8 ATP’s
The net gain is 24 ATP’s
It is a linear pathway
It is a circular pathway
c) Aerobic respiration and Fermentation
Aerobic respiration
Fermentation
Included in the exchange of gases
Does not include exchange of gases
Oxygen is necessary for aerobic respiration
Oxygen should be absent for the fermentation process
Respiratory material is completely oxidised
Respiratory material is incompletely oxidised
The end products are inorganic
At least one product is organic

2. What are respiratory substrates? Name the most common respiratory substrate.

Solution:
Organic substrates that are oxidised during respiration to liberate energy inside the living cells are respiratory substrates. Carbohydrates, proteins, fats and organic acids are the most common respiratory substrate.

3. Give the schematic representation of glycolysis?

Solution:
Schematic representation of glycolysis is as follows:

4. What are the main steps in aerobic respiration? Where does it take place?

Solution:
Main steps in aerobic respiration are as follows
Glycolysis: Occurs in the cytoplasm(cytosol) where glucose is broken down to pyruvic acid.
Oxidative decarboxylation of pyruvic acid to acetyl coenzyme-A: Takes place inside the mitochondrial matrix.
TCA or Krebs cycle takes place in Mitochondrial matrix where pyruvic acid is oxidized to transform the energy contained in these molecules into ATP.
Electron transport chain occurs in mitochondrial membrane involves ATP synthase complex.

5. Give the schematic representation of an overall view of Krebs’ cycle.

Solution:
The schematic representation of an overall view of Krebs’ cycle is as follows:

6. Explain ETS.

Solution:

Electron transport system(ETS) is found in the inner mitochondrial membrane and aids in liberating and using the energy stored in the NADH+H+and FADH2
NADH+ H+ , formed while citric acid cycle and glycolysis occurs is oxidized by NADH dehydrogenase or complex I
Electrons hence produced are conveyed to ubiquinone via FMN
Similarly, the complex II or FADH2synthesized during the citric acid cycle is conveyed to ubiquinone
From ubiquinone electrons are accepted by the complex III or cytochrome bc1which furthermore gets conveyed to cytochrome c which serves as a mobile carrier between the cytochrome c oxidase complex and complex III comprising of cytochrome a and a3with copper centers (complex IV) additionally
When electrons are transferred from each complex, simultaneously other processes occur such as production of the ATP from ADP and the inorganic phosphate through the action of ATP synthase(complex V)
This amount of ATP production is dependent on the molecule that has been oxidized. 3 ATP molecules are generated by the oxidation of 1 molecule of NADH while 1 FADH2molecule upon oxidation produces 2 ATP molecules

7. Distinguish between the following:
(a) Aerobic respiration and Anaerobic respiration
(b) Glycolysis and Fermentation
(c) Glycolysis and Citric acid Cycle

Solution:
a) Aerobic respiration and Anaerobic respiration
Aerobic respiration
Anaerobic respiration
Occurs in the presence of the Oxygen
Occurs in the absence of Oxygen
Involves complete breakdown of respiratory materials.
Involves partial breakdown of the gases.
Carbon-di-oxide and water are the end products
Carbon-dioxide and ethanol are the end products.
Involves the exchange of gases
Does not include the exchange of gases
b) Glycolysis and Fermentation
Glycolysis
Fermentation
It is the first step in aerobic respiration, and it is common to both aerobic and anaerobic modes of respiration
It is anaerobic respiration which does not require Oxygen.
It produces pyruvic acid
It produces lactic acid and ethanol
It produces two molecules of NADH for every glucose molecule.
Uses NADH generated during glycolysis
It forms two ATP for every glucose molecule
It does not produce ATP.
c) Glycolysis and Citric acid Cycle
Glycolysis
Citric acid cycle
Occurs inside cytoplasm
Occurs inside mitochondria
It is a linear pathway
It is a cyclic pathway
In Glycolysis glucose is breakdown to pyruvate
Acetyl group is broken down completely.
The net gain is 8 ATP
Net gain is 24 molecules of ATP

8. What are the assumptions made during the calculation of net gain of ATP?

Solution:
Assumptions made during the calculation of net gain of ATP are as follows
NADH generated inside the mitochondria synthesizes 3 ATP molecules during its oxidation.
NADH formed during glycolysis sends its reducing power into mitochondria via the shuttle system.
During oxidation of FADH2, 2 molecules of ATP is produced inside mitochondria
Formation of 3 ATP in the malate-aspartate shuttle (heart, liver and kidney) and 2 ATP in the glycerol phosphate shuttle (muscles and nerve cells).

9. Discuss “The respiratory pathway is an amphibolic pathway.”

Solution:
Organic substances such as fats, carbohydrates, proteins etc liberate energy when they are disintegrated in the respiratory pathway. This phenomena is said to be catabolic in nature. The respiratory process that serves as a catabolic pathway for the respiratory substrates also serves as an anabolic pathway to produce different metabolic products and secondary metabolites. Thus, the respiratory pathway serves as a catabolic and anabolic pathway. Therefore, the respiratory pathway is an amphibolic pathway.

10. Define RQ. What is its value for fats?

Solution:
The ratio of volume of CO2 evolved to the volume of Oxygen consumed in respiration is called respiratory quotient (RQ) or respiratory ratio.

RQ is less than 1 when the respiratory substrate is either fat or protein

11. What is oxidative phosphorylation?

Solution:
Oxidative phosphorylation is the conversion of ADP into ATP by electron transport system. Phosphorylation takes place in the inner mitochondrial membrane via the ATP synthetase complex when the hydrogen protons pass through it. The energy essential for phosphorylation is derived from the oxidation-reduction phenomena in respiration. Thus the process is known as oxidative phosphorylation.

12. What is the significance of step-wise release of energy in respiration?

Solution:
During respiration single molecule of glucose is disintegrated to generate carbon dioxide and water along with the formation of ATP molecules. If the energy gets released at one go, then most of energy will be lost as heat. In order to synthesize new compounds, the cell should be able to utilize the energy. Hence step-wise release of energy in respiration is most efficient in the conservation of energy.