Exercise and Cellular Respiration Lab

Cellular respiration is a chemical reaction that occurs in your cells to create energy and when you are exercising your muscles are creating ATP to contract. Cellular respiration requires oxygen which is breathed in and creates carbon dioxide which is breathed out.

This lab will address how exercise or increased muscle activity affects the rate of cellular respiration. You will measure 3 different indicators if cellular respiration: breathing rate, heart rate, and carbon dioxide production. You will measure these indicators at rest or with no exercise and after 1 and 2 minutes of exercise.

Breathing rate is measured in breaths per minute, heart rate in beats per minute, and carbon dioxide in the time it takes bromothymol blue to change color. Carbon dioxide production can be measured by breathing through a straw into a solution of bromothymol blue (BTB). BTB is an acid indicator wherein when it reacts with acid, it turns from blue to yellow. When carbon dioxide reacts with water, a weak acid, known as carbonic acid is formed. The more carbon dioxide you breathe into the BTB solution, the faster it will change color to yellow.

In this activity, you will get to analyze the effect of exercise on cellular respiration.

Exercise and Cellular Respiration Lab Learning Objectives:

At the end of this laboratory activity, students are expected to:

• Observe the effects of exercise on cellular respiration.
• Identify the role of carbon dioxide production, breathing rate, and heart rate in determining the rate of cellular respiration.

Exercise and Cellular Respiration Laboratory Proper:

NGSS Standards Covered

• MS-LS1-6 Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for the role of photosynthesis in the cycling matter and flow of energy into and out of organisms.
• MS-LS1-7 Develop a model to describe how food is rearranged through chemical reactions forming new molecules that support growth and/or release of energy as this matter moves through an organism.

Disciplinary Core Idea

Energy in Chemical Processes and Everyday Life

Exercise and Cellular Respiration Learning Objectives

• Explain how the energy from glucose is released through cellular respiration to form ATP
• Describe the three stages of cellular respiration: glycolysis, Krebs cycle, and electron transport
• Define aerobic respiration
• Describe the structure of mitochondrion and its vital role in aerobic respiration

I Can Statement

I can describe the different stages of cellular respiration in order to explain how the energy from glucose is released to form ATP.

Vocabulary:

• Aerobic
• Anaerobic
• Cellular respiration
• Coenzyme
• Electron transport chain
• Glycolysis
• Krebs cycle
• Pyruvate

Here are the Files Downloadable Files for the Exercise and Cellular Respiration Activity

• 4-2 Laboratory Activity SE - Cellular Respiration (Docx)
• 4-2 Laboratory Activity SE - Cellular Respiration (PDF)
• 4-2 Laboratory Activity TE - Cellular Respiration (Member Only Docx)
• 4-2 Laboratory Activity TE - Cellular Respiration (Member Only PDF)

Exercise and Cellular Respiration Lab Materials:

For each group of three to four students:

• Beaker / test tube / plastic cup
• Bromothymol blue (BTB)
• Straw (one for each student)
• Stopwatch

Safety Alert!

Do not play with bromothymol blue (i.e. ingest or smell it). This activity is best conducted in a well-ventilated area. Always listen to teacher’s instruction!

Exercise and Cellular Respiration Lab Activity Procedure:

Part A. Resting (No exercise)

Measuring Carbon Dioxide Production

1. Use a graduated cylinder to measure out 20 mL of tap water and pour it into a small beaker.
2. Use a dropper to add 8 drops of bromothymol blue to make a BTB solution.
3. Using a straw, exhale into the BTB solution. (CAUTION: Do not inhale the solution!)
4. Using a stopwatch, time how long it takes for the blue solution to turn yellow. Record the time in Table 1.
5. Wash out the beaker and repeat Steps 1 to 4 twice more.
6. Average the results of the 3 trials. Record this in Table 1.
7. Let the rest of the members of the group do Steps 1 to 6.

Measuring Breathing Rate:

1. Count the number of breaths (1 breath = inhale + exhale) you take in 1 minute. Record this in Table 2.
2. Repeat the previous step 2 more times.
3. Average the 3 trials to get your average breathing rate. Record this in Table 2.
4. Let the rest of the members of the group do Steps 1 to 3.

Measuring Heart Rate:

1. While you calculate your breathing rate, have your partner take your pulse.
2. Count the number of beats in 30 seconds and multiply that number by 2. Record this in Table 3.
3. Repeat the previous step 2 more times.
4. Average the 3 trials to get your average heart rate. Record this in Table 3.
5. Let the rest of the members of the group do Steps 1 to 3.

Part B. Increased Muscle Activity (Exercise)

1. Exercise for exactly 1 minute by doing jumping jacks.
2. While you are exercising, your partner should get the BTB solution ready as in Part A.
3. After 1 minute of exercise, immediately exhale through the straw into the BTB solution. Time how long it takes for the BTB to turn yellow. Record this in Table 1.
4. Then quickly calculate your breathing and heart rate as you did before. You only need to do this once.
5. Record these values in Tables 2 and 3. Remake your BTB solution.
6. Exercise as you did before, but for 2 continuous minutes.
7. Immediately exhale through the straw into the BTB solution. Time how long it takes for the BTB to turn yellow. Record this in Table 1.
8. Then quickly calculate your breathing and heart rates as you did before. You only need to do this once.
9. Record these values in Tables 2 and 3.
10. If there is time, repeat the entire procedure until all members in the group are able to provide the data needed.

Data and Results

Table 1. Carbon Dioxide Production (time it takes BTB to change color)

Table 2. Breathing Rate (breaths/minute)

Table 3. Heart Rate (beats/minute)

Discuss the following with your students:

1. Describe how BTB solution work.
2. How did exercise affect the time needed for the solution to change color?
3. What can you conclude about the effect of exercise on breathing rate?
4. What can you conclude about the effect of exercise on breathing rate? Why is this so?
5. State whether your prediction was correct or incorrect. Explain why.

Here is your Free Content on Cellular Respiration Lesson

Cellular Respiration - PDFs

• 4-2 Assignment SE - Cellular Respiration (FREE)
• 4-2 Assignment TE - Cellular Respiration ( Members Only )
• 4-2 Bell Work SE - Cellular Respiration (FREE)
• 4-2 Bell Work TE - Cellular Respiration ( Members Only )
• 4-2 Exit Quiz SE - Cellular Respiration (FREE)
• 4-2 Exit Quiz TE - Cellular Respiration ( Members Only )
• 4-2 Guided Notes SE - Cellular Respiration (FREE)
• 4-2 Guided Notes TE - Cellular Respiration ( Members Only )
• 4-2 Lesson Plan - Cellular Respiration ( Members Only )
• 4-2 Online Activities - Cellular Respiration ( Members Only )
• 4-2 Slide Show - Cellular Respiration (FREE)
• 4-2 Vocabulary Worksheet SE - Cellular Respiration (FREE)
• 4-2 Vocabulary Worksheet TE - Cellular Respiration ( Members Only )

Cellular Respiration Worksheets - Word Docs & PowerPoints

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Unit 4 - Cell and Energy

• 4-1 Glucose and ATP
• 4-2 Cellular Respiration
• 4-3 Anaerobic Respiration
• 4-4 Photosynthesis
• 4-5 Relationships Between Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration

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