Many athletes and bodybuilders may refer to aerobic and anaerobic respiration. But these terms are also familiar to gardeners, botanists, biologists and many other fields of work. Respiration is one of the primary signs of life, but many different life-forms respire in different ways, and for different purposes. Both forms of this respiration occur in humans.
Types
Your body's respiration is divided into two types: aerobic and anaerobic. Aerobic means "with air" and anaerobic means "without air." This respiration occurs at the cellular level and determines what chemical processes are required to generate energy that sustains the life of both the cell and the larger organism, such as that of a human.
Effects
The cells found in human bodies requires aerobic respiration to survive. Without some form of oxygen providing energy to the cells, cellular respiration will fail, and the cells will die. Eventually, so will the person. But anaerobic respiration is present in some forms of bacteria, allowing them to survive in environments where oxygen is in low supply or even absent.
Misconceptions
Aerobic and anaerobic respiration is different from aerobic and anaerobic exercise, although they are similar to one another. In exercise, anaerobic work occurs when cells utilize stored oxygen to generate energy, whereas aerobic exercise requires an intake of oxygen through respiration to replenish oxygen in the body and allow the exercise to continue. Respiration is the process of bringing in oxygen to help fuel the body's cells, but cellular respiration is a process limited to individual cells.
Other Requirements
Aerobic respiration in cells requires the presence of other elements to generate energy. An oxygen molecule consisting of two oxygen atoms is needed, and hydrogen atoms -- the most abundant element in the universe -- must also be present. Electrons must be available from other atoms -- a hydrogen atom features one available atom -- to create the elemental reaction that the body uses to release energy from the atoms.
Considerations
An understanding of aerobic and anaerobic respiration as it relates to the respiration fueling various life forms can be beneficial to individuals striving to cultivate and grow plants, fungi and even bacteria. Because different forms of life require different elements and use different processes to produce energy and maintain life, you should study the specific respiratory processes of these life forms to maximize your chances of success.
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