Respiration: JAMB Biology Questions, Answers & Notes

What Respiration covers in the JAMB Biology syllabus

Respiration releases energy from food, storing it as ATP; it happens mainly in the mitochondria. Aerobic respiration uses oxygen (glucose + O₂ → carbon dioxide + water + much energy) and is essentially the reverse of photosynthesis. Anaerobic respiration works without oxygen, releasing less energy: yeast makes ethanol + CO₂ (fermentation, used in baking/brewing), while human muscles make lactic acid (causing oxygen debt, repaid by rapid breathing after exercise). Breathing (ventilation) is the physical movement of air, distinct from respiration. Gaseous exchange occurs at the alveoli (mammals), gills (fish), spiracles/tracheae (insects) and stomata (plants).

For Respiration, JAMB expects you to be able to:

• Distinguish aerobic and anaerobic respiration and their products
• State the site of respiration and the role of ATP
• Describe gaseous exchange surfaces in different organisms and breathing

Key facts & revision notes: Respiration

These are the recurring points our Respiration questions test — revise them until each feels automatic, then practise the questions above to lock them in.

• Respiration releases energy from food for the organism's life processes.
• Aerobic respiration uses oxygen to release energy from glucose.
• Anaerobic respiration releases energy without using oxygen.
• Aerobic respiration: glucose + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water + energy.
• In yeast, anaerobic respiration (fermentation) produces ethanol and carbon dioxide.
• In human muscles during vigorous exercise, anaerobic respiration produces lactic acid.
• The mitochondrion is the main site of aerobic respiration in the cell.
• Oxygen is taken in during breathing for aerobic respiration.
• Carbon dioxide is a waste product of respiration and is breathed out.
• Gaseous exchange (O₂ in, CO₂ out) occurs across the thin, moist walls of the alveoli.
• Fish use gills to exchange gases with the water.
• Insects breathe through spiracles that lead into a system of tracheae.
• Aerobic respiration releases much more energy per glucose than anaerobic respiration.
• Energy from respiration is captured in molecules of ATP (adenosine triphosphate).
• Respiration (glucose + O₂ → CO₂ + H₂O + energy) is essentially the reverse of photosynthesis.
• Yeast respires anaerobically, producing CO₂ that makes bread dough rise.
• After exercise, extra oxygen is taken in (rapid breathing) to break down the lactic acid built up.
• Breathing is the physical movement of air; respiration is the chemical release of energy from food.
• The trachea has C-shaped rings of cartilage to keep the airway open.
• The diaphragm contracts and relaxes to help draw air into and out of the lungs.
• Glucose is oxidised to release energy.
• Aerobic respiration uses glucose and oxygen to release energy.
• Haemoglobin in red blood cells carries oxygen.
• Yeast fermentation gives ethanol and CO₂.

Worked examples

Three Respiration questions with the answer and a short explanation, so you can see how the topic is set before you practise the full set.

How Respiration is tested in JAMB Biology

Our Respiration bank holds 40 questions (8 easy, 15 medium, 17 hard). JAMB Biology typically returns to Respiration year after year, so steady practice on this topic is high-value revision. Questions are multiple-choice with four options, and at UTME pace you get roughly 40 seconds each — which is why timed practice matters.

How to answer Respiration questions

Work the stem first and predict the answer before you look at the options; then eliminate the ones that contradict the key facts above. Watch for “which is not…”, “all of the above” and “except” style stems, which are where rushed candidates lose easy marks on Respiration. If a calculation or a precise definition is involved, work it from first principles rather than guessing from a half-remembered rule. When two options look right, re-read the stem for the qualifier that separates them — JAMB rarely repeats an option by accident. If you are still unsure, eliminate the two weakest choices to lift your odds, flag the question, and move on; never burn a full minute on one Biology item when the exam gives you about forty seconds each. Then come back to flagged questions with whatever time remains. The single most reliable way to get faster at Respiration is repeated timed practice, so use the button above until the recurring patterns feel automatic.

Common mistakes to avoid in Respiration

The errors that cost marks on Respiration are usually careless rather than conceptual: misreading a negative stem, confusing two similar terms, or rushing a definition you actually know. Candidates also over-rely on “expo” and last-minute cramming instead of understanding the topic — which fails the moment JAMB rephrases a familiar idea. Treat every option as a claim to be checked against the facts above, keep your working tidy for any calculation, and don’t change a considered answer on a hunch. Above all, revise Respiration actively by answering questions, not just by re-reading notes — recall under time is what the exam rewards.

Frequently asked questions

Is Respiration part of the JAMB Biology syllabus?

Yes. Respiration is a recognised topic in the JAMB Biology syllabus, covering distinguish aerobic and anaerobic respiration and their products. You should be able to recall its key facts and apply them to multiple-choice questions.

How many Respiration questions can I practise on Belmadeng?

There are 40 original, JAMB-standard Respiration questions in our free bank, each with the correct answer and a worked explanation. You can practise them untimed or as a timed test.

What are the most important points to know about Respiration?

Respiration releases energy from food, storing it as ATP; it happens mainly in the mitochondria. Aerobic respiration uses oxygen (glucose + O₂ → carbon dioxide + water + much energy) and is essentially the reverse of photosynthesis. Anaerobic respiration works without oxygen, releasing less energy: …

How do I answer Respiration questions quickly in JAMB?

Read the stem carefully, eliminate clearly wrong options, and match the remaining choices to the key facts for Respiration. Practising timed Respiration questions builds the speed you need for UTME's pace of about 40 seconds per question.

Are these JAMB Biology Respiration questions past questions or original?

They are original questions written to JAMB (UTME) standard and mapped to the official syllabus — not reproduced past papers. This keeps them legal to use freely while closely mirroring how the real exam tests the topic.

Where can I practise Respiration questions free without signing up?

Right here — tap “Start Respiration practice” on this page to begin instantly. Belmadeng's CBT practice is completely free and needs no sign-up, download or subscription.

About these questions: original, JAMB-standard items written from the official UTME Biology syllabus (last reviewed 2026-09-18). Belmadeng is an independent study platform and is not affiliated with JAMB. Spotted an error? Use the report link.