Question

Distance runners include aerobic training as part of preparation for races. How does this impact their cellular respiration?

Answer 1

Answer and Explanation:

Running or jogging comes under the category of aerobic training/exercise. By definition, aerobic exercise means that the person is training her/his body in the presence of excessive oxygen. So, metabolically speaking, the person is relying on availability of oxygen to carry out metabolism which is mainly about production/supply of energy (ATP) by the breakdown of food in the presence of oxygen. This process is also known as cellular respiration. So, if a person is doing aerobic exercise (running), s/he needs more energy to keep doing the exercise. Typically, aerobic exercise produce more energy (32 molecules of ATP) as compared to anaerobic process (2 molecules of ATP) per reaction run. Thus, In the process of aerobic exercise, the lungs will respire faster to allow more diffusion of oxygen in the blood. Then, this oxygen will be transported to all body by heart pumping and then oxygen enters the cells. Once oxygen is entered, it acts as terminal electron acceptor in a process known as oxidative phosphorylation. This process takes plance in the mitochondria and produces 32 molecules of ATP per reaction.