• Question: Why do we need oxygen to breath if we are carbon based life forms?

    Asked by olleym09 to Martin, Mark, Stu, Jenni, Helen on 22 Jun 2011. This question was also asked by leighb09.
    • Photo: Mark Burnley

      Mark Burnley answered on 14 Jun 2011:

      We need oxygen to breathe because oxygen is involved in energy transfer in the cells. When you burn sugar (glucose) the following reaction occurs (aerobic respiration):

      C6H12O6 (glucose) + 6O2 (6 molecules of oxygen) ——–> 6CO2 (carbon dioxide) + 6H2O (water) + energy.

      You can get energy without using oxygen, but you get much less energy from”anaerobic” energy sources, and these sources can be quickly used up (within a few minutes).

    • Photo: Martin Lindley

      Martin Lindley answered on 14 Jun 2011:

      An excellent question !

      and Mark has answered it very well.

      I would only add that the level of oxygen in the atmosphere has not always been 20.93% as it is today and way way back in history (when we were evolving life forms) the oygen level was much higher and as such impacted upon the physiological system developement of us as humans.

    • Photo: Helen O'Connor

      Helen O'Connor answered on 22 Jun 2011:

      I help athletes stay calm and control their breathing when they might feel nervous or anxious, but I am afraid that I don’t have a biological background. But Mark and Martin really know their stuff about oxygen! Thanks guys!

Comments