Explain the similarities and differences between aerobic and anaerobic respiration

The similarities between aerobic and anaerobic respiration, is that they both use glucose as the starting molecule. This is called the substrate. In addition, both aerobic and anaerobic respiration produce ATP, however, aerobic respiration produces a lot more ATP compared to anaerobic respiration. (ATP is the energy source that cells use, to drive all the different processes that we need to survive). This means that glucose goes through different processes in anaerobic and aerobic respiration, thus producing a difference in the amount of ATP. Aerobic respiration uses oxygen and is only completed when there is a plentifly supply of oxygen. Anaerobic respiration does not use oxygen, and so can be used when there is a small oxygen supply, so we can still produce some ATP, for example when completing vigourous exercise. In addition, the products of both reactions are different. Aerobic respiration produces carbon dioxide and water from the reaction (as well as the ATP). The word equation for this reaction is: Glucose + Oxygen --> Carbon Dioxide + Water (+ATP). On the other hand, anaerobic repiration only produces lactic acid, which can be harmful in large quantities and so has to be transported to the liver once it has been produced in order to be broken down. This means that after anaerobic respiration you have an oxygen debt, so need to keep breathing heavily, in order to allow aerobic respiration to begin again. Lactic acid also causes muscle fatigue, hence why after vigourous exercide you can experience pain or cramp. Therefore, the word equation for anaerobic respiration is: Glucose --> Lactic Acid