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Aerobic and anaerobic respiration

Aerobic respiration needs oxygen. Glucose is the substrate and it is broken down completely. The products are carbon dioxide and water, and a large yield of ATP. It happens in animals, plants and fungi.

Anaerobic respiration happens without oxygen. The glucose is only partly broken down, so the yield of ATP is much less than in aerobic respiration, which makes more ATP from each glucose molecule. The products depend on the organism.

In animal cells, such as muscle cells during hard exercise, glucose is turned into lactic acid. In plants and fungi, such as yeast, glucose is turned into ethanol and carbon dioxide. This is called fermentation, and it is used to make bread and alcoholic drinks.

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