Human Respiration: Introduction

Respiration

We inhale and exhale air. Why is breathing so important for life? What happens when we breathe? Why energy is required for the body to perform various life processes? Where does the energy come from? We eat food for energy. Though the above raised questions look disconnected, we should know that the process of breathing is connected to the process of release of energy from food. Oxygen is utilized by the organisms to breakdown the biomolecules like glucose and to derive energy. During this breakdown carbondioxide, which is a harmful gas is also released. It is very obvious that oxygen has to be provided to cells continuously and the CO₂ to be released immediately by the cells. So the need of a respiratory system is essential for life.

We have discussed in the previous chapter how food provides energy for growth and repair of tissues. As mentioned earlier along with food, oxygen is necessary for breakdown of glucose to energy. In this chapter we shall discuss the respiratory organs of human, the mechanism of breathing, exchange and transport of gases and a few respiratory disorders.

The term respiration refers to the exchange of oxygen and carbondioxide between environment and cells of our body where organic nutrients are broken down enzymatically to release energy.