6C: Factors Affecting the Rate of Cellular Respiration

Question 1

How Temperature Affects Cellular Respiratin

Answer 1

Cellular respiration occurs at the highest rate when the temperature aligns with the enzymes optimal temperature

Question 2

How pH levels affect Cellular Respiration

Answer 2

Optimal pH levels for the different Stages of Aerobic Cellular Respiration:
- Cytoplasm(Glycolysis) = pH of 7.2

- Mitochondrion Matrix(Krebs Cycle) = pH of 7-7.4
    - inner membrane of the mitochondrion(ETC) = pH of 7.8

Question 3

How Glucose concentration affect cellular respiration

Answer 3

• As glucose is the input for glycolysis in both aerobic and anaerobic cellular respiration an increase in glucose will increase the rate of ATP production
  
  • Conversely a decrease in glucose availability leads to a decrease in cellular respiration and therefore a decrease in ATP production
    
    • Increasing glucose concentration will increase respiration until the enzymes have reached their saturation point and are operating at their maximal capacity

Question 4

How Oxygen concentration affect cellular respiration

Answer 4

• As oxygen is needed for the Electron Transport Chain to function, the more oxygen levels rise, the more aerobic cellular respiration rates will increase, producing more ATP
  
  • If there is not enough oxygen present in animals, then cells will switch to anaerobic fermentation
    
    • After a certain point, adding more oxygen and glucose will not increase the rate of Aerobic Cellular Respiration as the enzymes will have reached their saturation point

Question 5

Competitive Inhibition

Answer 5

Competitive Inhibition: a molecule that hinders an enzyme by blocking the active site and preventing the substrate from binding

       - The effect can be overcome if the substrate concentration is increased(increased chance of substrates binding)

Question 6

Non-competitive inhibition

Answer 6

a molecule that hinders an enzyme by binding to an allosteric site and changing the shape of the active site, preventing substrates from binding

- Important for regulating Anaerobic and Aerobic respiration

Cyanide is a lethal molecule which allosterically binds to cytochrome C oxidase which is part of the ETC and results in the death of the organism

Question 7

End-product inhibition

Answer 7

a form of inhibition where the final product in a series of reactions inhibits an enzyme in an earlier reaction