Respiration

Respiration is how living things turn food into energy. It happens inside your cells every second. You need oxygen from the air to make it work. You also breathe out a gas called carbon dioxide. Plants, animals, and even bugs all use respiration.

Breathing and Respiration

Breathing is how you get air into your lungs. From your lungs, oxygen goes into your blood. Your blood carries the oxygen to every cell in your body. The cells use it to burn food for energy. Then they send carbon dioxide back out when you breathe.

Respiration in Cells

Inside each cell, tiny parts called mitochondria do the work. They mix food and oxygen to make energy. This is called cellular respiration. The energy helps you run, think, and grow. Every living thing needs this process, even plants and fish.

Fun Facts

• You breathe about 20,000 times every day.
• Fish use respiration too, but they take oxygen from water with their gills.
• Plants do respiration at night and make food during the day.

Did You Know?

Your body uses about 20 percent of the oxygen you breathe just to keep your brain working.