4.6 Fermentation

  • fermentation allows glycolysis to continue
    • under normal conditions amount of oxygen is enough to allow cellular respiration to continue
    • under exercise conditions oxygen is used up too fast
    • causes an oxygen debt
    • fermentation allows glycolysis to continue making ATP when oxygen is unavailable
  • fermentation is an anaerobic process
    • occurs when oxygen is not available for cellular respiration
  • if you have no ATP, you die
  • Lactic acid fermentation
    • glycolysis splits glucose into two pyruvate molecule
    • pyruvate and NADH enter fermentation
    • Energy from NADH converts pyruvate into lactic acid
    • NADH changed back into NAD+
  • alcoholic fermentation is similar to lactic acid
    • done by yeast and bacteria
    • make alcohol instead of lactic acid
  • fermentation used in yogurt, bread, alcoholic beverages, and cheese