Aerobic vs Anaerobic Exercise and Recovery
The difference between aerobic and anaerobic exercise, their word equations, why lactic acid causes fatigue, and how the body repays the oxygen debt to recover.
Revise this, the fun way
Play it interactively, earn XP and build a streak, free.
Start revising freeWhat you'll cover
With and without oxygen 🏃
Your muscles need energy to keep moving. In long, steady exercise the body has time to use oxygen to release energy. In short, very hard exercise there is not enough oxygen, so the body releases energy a different way and makes a waste product. This module looks at aerobic and anaerobic exercise, their word equations, and how the body recovers.
Key words 🔑
Learn these four terms before you study aerobic and anaerobic exercise.
Aerobic vs anaerobic 🆚
Aerobic and anaerobic exercise suit different kinds of activity.
Grade 9 thinking 💡
Under exam pressure it is easy to swap the two word equations, so drill them until they are automatic. Only aerobic exercise uses oxygen and makes carbon dioxide and water. Anaerobic exercise makes lactic acid instead. After hard exercise, keep breathing deeply and cool down so the extra oxygen can repay the oxygen debt and remove the lactic acid.
Match the term 🔗
- aerobic exercise
- anaerobic exercise
- lactic acid
- oxygen debt
- exercise that uses oxygen to release energy
- hard exercise that works without enough oxygen
- the waste product that builds up and causes muscle fatigue
- the extra oxygen needed after exercise to recover
Match the activity 🧩
- running a marathon
- a 100 metre sprint
- a gentle jog
- one heavy weight lift
- a long steady race fuelled mainly by aerobic exercise
- a short fast race fuelled mainly by anaerobic exercise
- easy exercise the body can keep fuelling with oxygen
- one short powerful effort with too little oxygen
What is anaerobic exercise? ❓
What is anaerobic exercise?
- Hard exercise that works without enough oxygen and produces lactic acid.
- Steady exercise that uses plenty of oxygen over a long time.
- Gentle stretching done only as a warm up before sport.
Spot the anaerobic activities ✅
Select the TWO activities that are mainly anaerobic exercise.
- Sprinting flat out for 100 metres.
- Lifting a heavy weight once.
- Jogging steadily for an hour.
- Swimming slowly for 30 minutes.
Order the recovery 🪜
An interactive activity.
Complete the equations 📝
Aerobic exercise uses oxygen. Its word equation is glucose plus _____ produces energy plus carbon dioxide plus _____. Anaerobic exercise happens without enough oxygen. Its word equation is glucose produces energy plus _____ acid. Aerobic exercise suits _____ steady effort, while anaerobic exercise suits short bursts of _____ effort.
How many energy types? 🔢
An interactive activity.
Tap the anaerobic activities 🖍️
An interactive activity.
Aerobic or anaerobic? 🧭
An interactive activity.
Explain the exercise ✍️
An interactive activity.