Respiration in Humans

• Energy is released, not produced during respiration

• Energy is not needed in respiration

• Air is breathed in and breathed out, not oxygen breathed in and carbon dioxide breathed out

• Mechenism for breathing:

  • External intercoastal muscle contracts
  • Ribcage move upward and outward
  • Diaphragm muscle contract and flatten
  • Increase in volume of thoracic cavity
  • Drop in pressure in lungs
  • Pressure inside becomes lower than atmospheric pressure outside
  • Pressure difference forces air into lungs

• Carbon monoxide bings with haemoglobin to form carboxyhaemoglobin

  • Reduces oxygen delivary to body tissues/cells