Anaerobic Respiration (No O2)

Question 1

What’s the difference between Aerobic and Anaerobic pathways?

Answer 1

Aerobic: Oxygen is used as the final electron acceptor in the ETC.

Anaerobic: If Oxygen is not available for whatever reason, NADH has nowhere to donate its electron to, NAD+ cannot be regenerated, and glycolysis stops.

Question 2

What is Anaerobic Fermentation?

Answer 2

It is an alternative set of reactions that follow glycolysis in the absence of oxygen as the final electron acceptor.

Glycolysis produces 2 ATP.

Question 3

What happens when no O2 is present?

Answer 3

Fermentation allows the body to regenerated NAD+ so that 2 ATP can still be generated.

Question 4

What happens as fermentation continues?

Answer 4

As fermentation of the pyruvate continues, it causes the release and buildup of Lactate (or Lactic acid), which is why muscles burn after exercising vigorously.

Question 5

What happens in the case of Alcohol fermentation?

Answer 5

In the case of a yeast, Ethanol is formed instead of Lactate. This reaction also causes the release of CO2 as a by-product, which is why dough rises.