FACTORS THAT IMPACT AEROBIC CELLULAR RESPIRATION

Cellular respiration is vital for our…

• survival

What is the rate of cellular respiration determined by

• measuring the rate at which the substrates disappear or the products appear

Measures of aerobic cellular respiration rates are based on:

• the rate of production of carbon dioxide 

• the rate of uptake of oxygen 

• the rate of uptake of glucose.

Effect of temperature on cellular respiration

Low temperatures

• collisions between substrate and enzyme molecules are less frequent → low rate of respiration 

  Increasing temperature

• → respiration rate increases until the optimal temperature for an organism's cells is reached

  Temperatures above the optimal

• heat denaturation of the enzymes begins → steep decline in respiration rate

Effect of temperature on cellular respiration diagram

Effect of glucose concentration on cellular respiration

• Glucose is the key input to aerobic cellular respiration. 

• Increase in glucose → increase in the rate of cellular respiration. 

• This rate eventually plateaus from rate-limiting factors e.g. temperature, and enzyme concentration (available active sites reach saturation).

Effect of glucose concentration on cellular respiration diagram

Effect of oxygen concentration on cellular respiration

• Oxygen is critical for large amounts of ATP to be produced. 

• Oxygen is the final acceptor of electrons that have passed down the electron transport chain

Effect of oxygen concentration on cellular respiration diagram