Name:________________________________________________ Date:___________ Hour:_____________

Lactic Acid Fermentation

Cellular Respiration:
Cellular respiration takes place in the mitochondria of every cell that is found in a living organism. Cellular
respiration converts sugars into usable energy for the cell. This energy is called ATP. In order for cellular
respiration to happen, oxygen must be present. Because this process uses oxygen, cellular respiration is a type of
aerobic respiration. Humans obtain oxygen by breathing in. This oxygen is then incorporated into the blood and
transported through the cell membrane so that it can be used by the mitochondria.
Lactic Acid Fermentation:
When oxygen is not present or present in very low quantities, mitochondria produce energy through a process
called lactic acid fermentation. Lactic acid fermentation still uses sugars to make ATP like in cellular respiration,
but oxygen is not needed for the reaction. Because this process does not use oxygen, lactic acid fermentation is a
type of anaerobic respiration. ATP isnt the only product of lactic acid fermentation. As you might imagine, a
molecule called lactic acid (lactate) is also produced! Check out the reaction below.

Exercise:
Lactic acid fermentation can be used to make foods such as yogurt, pickles, sauerkraut, etc. Lactic acid
fermentation also takes place in human muscle cells during intense exercise. During strenuous physical activities
such as sprinting, oxygen that is taken in by breathing is quickly used up by the mitochondria in the muscle cells.
When there is no longer enough oxygen, mitochondria switch to lactic acid fermentation instead. While lactic acid
fermentation is still able to produce ATP like cellular respiration, it does not produce nearly as much.
Unfortunately, lactic acid fermentation also produces lactic acid which can cause muscles to cramp. When lactic
acid builds up in the body during intense exercise, the blood often becomes too acidic. Normally, blood should be
at a pH of around 7.35. However, when a large amount of lactic acid fermentation takes place, the blood pH
decreases (becomes more acidic). This condition is called acidosis and it can result in hyperventilation (increased
respiration rate).

Case Study Herman

Name:________________________________________________ Date:___________ Hour:_____________

Herman is a 21-year-old male who is on the mens swim team at the University of Michigan. Go blue!!! After
swimming in a 400 meter freestyle race, Herman decided to do a butterfly workout. At first, Herman was feeling
okay, and then his muscles cramped and he began to hyperventilate. His coaches pulled him out of the water and
quickly drove him to the hospital. In order to diagnose Herman, the doctors ran a series of tests. This evidence is
listed below.
Evidence #1:
The doctors first took a sample of Hermans blood and tested how much lactic acid was present in the sample. This
test is usually a good indicator of how much lactic acid has built up in the muscle cells. Hermans blood had a lactic
acid level of 9 mmol/L. Check the chart below to see if Hermans lactic acid level indicates that he is suffering
from acidosis.
Lactic Acid Level (mmol/L):
> 10
5-10
2-5
<2

Symptoms of Acidosis:
Severe
Moderate
Mild
Not Present

Evidence #2:
Hermans respiration (breathing) rate was also measured when he first arrived at the hospital. The doctors
determined that Herman was taking an average of 40 breaths per minute. Take a look at the chart below to
determine if this respiration rate is normal for Hermans age.

Evidence #3:
Hermans doctors also took a second sample of his blood and tested its pH. They found that Hermans blood pH
was at 7.15. Take a look at the blood pH scale below to determine if Hermans blood pH is within the normal range.

***Note: The tests mentioned above are NOT how doctors typically make a diagnosis.

Brainstorming

Directions: Using all of the evidence and information given to you on the first two pages of this assignment, work
with a partner to answer the questions below.

Name:________________________________________________ Date:___________ Hour:_____________

1. Compare cellular respiration and lactic acid fermentation. How are these two processes similar and
different? When does the body use each process?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
2. During intense exercise, the mitochondria start to use lactic acid fermentation instead of cellular
respiration. Why does this switch happen? Why is it dangerous for too much lactic acid fermentation to
take place?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
3.

What condition is Herman suffering from? _____________________________________

a. Explain how you know this using evidence from the lactic acid level chart on page #2.
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
b.

Explain how you know this using evidence from the respiration rate chart on page

#2.
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
c. Explain how you know this using the blood pH scale on page #2.
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
4. Explain why Hermans intense swim workout caused his condition.
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

Essay Response

Directions: On a separate sheet of paper, write your own response to the following prompt.
Compare and contrast cellular respiration and lactic acid fermentation. Describe why the body switches to lactic
acid fermentation during intense exercise. Then, create a hypothesis that predicts which condition Herman is
suffering from. Use all three pieces of evidence from page 2 and the reading from the first page to support and
explain your decision. Use the rubric on page 4 to help guide you as you write your essay. The easiest way to
receive full points is to include all of the components that you and your partner brainstormed about (1-3) in
your response. Your essay should be 10-12 sentences in length.

Rubric:

Name:________________________________________________ Date:___________ Hour:_____________

Directions: This rubric will be used to evaluate your essay response. Please attach this sheet to your paper when
you turn it in.

Advanced
(4)

Proficient
(3)

Partially Proficient
(2)

Hypothesis
&
Conclusion

Hypothesis is wellwritten and clearly

identified.
Provides an excellent
concluding
statement.

Hypothesis is clearly
identified.
Provides a clear
concluding
statement.

Hypothesis is
present, but it lacks
focus.
A concluding
statement is present
but lacks focus.

Content

The response
provides a
comprehensive and
focused
understanding of the
information which is
strongly maintained
throughout the
response. The
student uses all
three pieces of
evidence to support
the hypothesis.
The response has a
clear and effective
organizational
structure that has a
logical progression of
ideas from beginning
to end.

The response
provides an
adequate
understanding of the
information
important to the
topic. The student
uses all three pieces
of evidence to
support the
hypothesis.

The response
provides minimal
information to
support the
hypothesis. Limited
use of evidence.

The response has an

adequate
organizational
structure and a
sense of progression
from the beginning
to end, though there
may be minor flaws
and some ideas are
loosely connected .
The response
adequately meets
the requirements and
has a few mechanical
errors.

The response has an

inconsistent
organizational
structure, an uneven
progression and
flaws are evident.

The response
has limited or
no progression
of
organizational
structure.

The response meets

a few of the
requirements and
has many
mechanical errors.

The response
does not meet
any
requirements
and has
frequent
mechanical
errors.

Organizatio
n

Mechanics
(spelling,
complete
sentences,
punctuation
, etc.)

The response follows

the requirements and
is free of mechanical
errors.

Not
Proficient
(1)
Hypothesis is
not obvious,
and barely
provides a
focus.
A concluding
statement is
not obvious
and barely
provides a
focus.
The response
provides
limited or no
information to
support the
hypothesis.
There is almost
no use of
evidence.

Total = _____/16