Do Cells Breathe?

Home | Page Title

WELCOME!

By: Mrinalini Singh


ANIMAL CELLS & HUMAN CELLS

When we breathe in oxygen it is  transported in  the blood to all cells in the body. The same goes for nourishment from food we eat. 

Inside the cell, the oxygen is transformed into energy and carbon dioxide, which we breathe out.   So basically cells do breathe, they breathe what we breathe in. 
Every cell contains many tiny energy power plants (the mitochondria). 
The enzymes that control cell breathing are located in membranes that surround the mitochondria.  

One of these enzymes (cytochromoxidase) is a pump that gives out  positive and negative charges to opposite sides of the membrane,  functioning roughly like a battery charger that helps to charge our inner batteries.

These batteries power all body's functions, like our muscles, brain, and digestion.  We are helped when our cells breathe.

PLANT CELLS

They make some oxygen with photosynthesis. They also absorb dissolved oxygen from the water. They can absorb oxygen by diffusion through the cell membrane because they are single celled. No special organs(lungs) are required.

Transpiration takes place in plants. It is a movement of water from the roots to the leaves.


This is a normal cell

animal-cell.jpg

The website that helped me and it is my favorite. http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/ onlinestuff/snot/why_do_we_breathe_ and_why_do_we_need_lungs_to_do_it.aspx)

this show how the air gets to our muscles