Energy to Power Muscles

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Energy to Power Muscles

• By Elizabeth Hadley
• Grades 10-12

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How our muscles are powered

• Aerobic Respiration
• Anaerobic Respiration
• Phosphocreatine
• Lactic Acid Fermentation
• Muscle Fatigue

3
Aerobic Respiration

• Muscles first choice in obtaining energy
• Most efficient way to obtain ATP to power the
  muscle cell
• Takes place in the presence of oxygen
• Occurs during normal, non strenuous muscle
  activity

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Benefits to aerobic exercise

• Aerobic exercise thus becomes a great booster to
  muscle performance because the switch to
  anaerobic respiration is delayed

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Anaerobic Respiration

• In anaerobic respiration the net yield of ATP
  molecules is much less than in aerobic
  respiration
• Less efficient power source
• Types of anaerobic respiration
• Phosphocreatine
• Lactic Acid Fermentation

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Phosphocreatine

• High energy molecule available in the cell to
  take over when the oxygen supply has been
  exhausted
• When the circulatory system is unable to keep up
  with the muscles demand for oxygen
• This occurs during strenuous muscle activity

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Lactic Acid Fermentation

• Occurs when the supply of oygen and
  phosphocreatine has been exhausted
• This method of obtaining energy as a side effect
  lactic acid
• Lactic acid build up in the muscle is what makes
  the muscle sore

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Muscle Fatigue

• At some point, if the muscle is continually being
  taxed, all of the sources of energy will have
  been used up
• As the lactic acid builds up to a critical point,
  the muscle is unable to contract any longer
• Muscle fatigue has been reached
• The muscle must get rid of the lactic acid, over
  a period of time and recover, so that it can
  contract again later