Aerobic vs Anaerobic Respiration

Cellular respiration is the process by which cells release energy by breaking down glucose molecules. It is broadly categorized into two types: aerobic and anaerobic.

What are Aerobic and Anaerobic Respiration

Aerobic respiration is the process through which cells break down the glucose molecule to convert its stored biochemical energy into energy-coin Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in the presence of oxygen. This type of respiration is the primary energy-yielding process of all living beings, providing all the energy to maintain life.

Anaerobic respiration, the most primitive form of respiration on earth, is how cells convert the stored energy of glucose into ATP in the absence of free oxygen. It provides energy to the cells very rapidly.

Compare and Contrast

As stated, both types of respiration aim to produce energy from glucose. However, two processes do not follow the same pathway and are not equivalently efficient. Although some cells may undergo just one type of respiration, most cells use both types, depending on an organism’s needs.

What is the Difference between Aerobic and Anaerobic Respiration

Basis	Aerobic Respiration	Anaerobic Respiration
1. Site of Reaction	i) In eukaryotes: cytoplasm and mitochondria ii) In prokaryotes: cytoplasm	i) In eukaryotes: cytoplasm ii) In prokaryotes: cytoplasm
2. Final electron acceptor	Oxygen	Sulfate(SO₄^–) or nitrate ion (NO₃^–)
3. Amount of Energy Released	More (38 ATPs)	Less ( 2 ATPs)
4. Nature of the Process	Slow	Fast
5. Exchange of Gases	Occurs	Does not occur
6. Stages	Glycolysis, Krebs cycle or citric acid cycle, and electron transport chain (ETC)	Glycolysis, fermentation, and electron transport chain (ETC)
7. Equation	C₆H₁₂O₆ (Glucose) + 6O₂ → 6CO₂ + 6H₂O + Energy (38 ATPs)	C₆H₁₂O₆ (Glucose) → 2C₃H₆O₃ (Lactic acid) + Energy (2 ATPs)
8. Presence of Oxygen	Present	Either low or absent
9. Reactants	Glucose and oxygen	Glucose
10. End Products	Carbon dioxide, water, and ATP	Ethanol and CO₂or lactate
11. Production of Ethanol or Lactic Acid	Not produced	Produced
12. Oxidation of Carbohydrate	Complete	Incomplete
13. Occurs in	Most of the higher organisms like plants and animals	Mostly in primitive prokaryotes, also in the muscle cells in humans during extreme movements
14. Examples	i) Respiration in humans ii) Respiration in plants	i) Lactic acid production in muscles ii) Alcohol fermentation in yeast
15. Advantages	i) Complete breakdown of glucose ii) Maximum yield of energy	i) Produces energy faster ii) Allows organisms to live in places with very little or no oxygen
16. Disadvantages	i) Slow process	i) Partial breakdown of glucose ii) Very less energy is produced

Similarities

Both oxidize similar substrate, glucose
Both produce ATP

FAQs

Q.1. Which is required for both anaerobic respiration and aerobic respiration?

Ans. Both anaerobic and aerobic respirations require glucose.

Q.2. Is cellular respiration an aerobic or anaerobic process?

Ans. Cellular respiration comprises both aerobic and anaerobic respiration.

Q3. Compare fermentation with anaerobic and aerobic respiration.

Ans. In fermentation, an organic molecule, pyruvate, is used to regenerate NAD⁺ from NADH. On the other hand, in aerobic and anaerobic respiration, glucose gets broken down in the presence and absence of oxygen, respectively, yielding ATP.

References
- 1. Aerobic vs. Anaerobic Respiration – Ck12.org
  2. Anaerobic vs Aerobic Respiration – Bio.libretexts.org
  3. Differences Between Aerobic vs. Anaerobic Respiration – Study.com
  4. Aerobic and anaerobic respiration – Bbc.co.uk
  5. Cellular respiration review – Khanacademy.org