By Shaun Turnbull
When studying science we often find ourselves using language that is perhaps a little too familiar. Everyday words that we are comfortable using are reused and given very different meanings. One such instance is the difference between breathing and respiration.
Similar Synonyms
Breathing and respiring are synonyms (words that have the same meaning) when talking to the people we come across in everyday life. They both refer to the act of putting air into the lungs and pushing carbon dioxide out.
However, in science, breathing and respiring are only connected by the fact that they both use oxygen and the same organ system; the lungs.
Breathing
When we breathe in, the muscles around the lungs (intercostals and diaphragm) relax and allow the lungs to expand. This creates more space in the lungs and a lower air pressure. The air pressure outside the body is higher, pulling air down into the lungs. Here the oxygen in the air is moved into the blood and sent around the body. When we breathe out the opposite happens. The muscles contract, reducing the space in the lungs. Forcing air out of the nose and mouth.
Respiration
Respiration is a chemical reaction. It has nothing to do with the mechanical function of the lungs described above. When oxygen arrives in the cell it is used in the breakdown of glucose to release biological energy. The waste product of this reaction is carbon dioxide. This is moved into the blood and sent back to the lungs.
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