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A Burning Desire
to Know: Cell Respiration and Fire!
Grade: 9-12
Subject: Biology I
Curricular Goal: Understand Cellular Respiration
Introduction:
Cells undergo a process called cellular respiration to create chemical
energy that the cell can use for various processes. Substances that burn also give
off energy that can be used to do things. Are these two processes similar?
Task:
You need to find out how combustion is similar to cellular
respiration. We will design an experiment to compare the two processes. You must
first research the two processes to determine similarities and differences.
Process:
Find out how these two processes are the same. What do they use to start? What
makes them go? What do they release as energy? What do they release as
by-products? How could you compare them to test your ideas?
Resources:
These are resources on Cellular Respiration, use them to answer your problem.
Respiration Site
Virtual High School Cell Respiration
BioChem Page
Tissue Respiration
These are resources on fire, use them to compare to your Cell Respiration information:
Encarta
Fire Fire
Definitions Fire
Page
Evaluation:
You will need to show a way that you can test one or both of these
processes. Each member of your two member group is responsible for this test.
This test must be repeatable and the directions must be clear.
Conclusion:
You should both have the simple idea of how cellular respiration and
combustion are similar. You should know the substances involved, the different types
of energy used or released and a simple way to show the similarities. You should
also then determine the functional use of cellular respiration for organisms.
Authors: Carl Krause
Created: October 8, 1999