Oxygen Transport: From Lungs to Cells - Step by Step
Respiration delivers oxygen from lungs to all body cells:
- Inhalation: Air enters via nose/mouth → trachea → bronchi → lungs
- Lung gas exchange: Alveoli (thin-walled air sacs) surrounded by capillaries; O₂ diffuses into blood
- Blood transport: Oxygen-rich blood pumped via heart/arteries to tissues
- Tissue gas exchange: O₂ diffuses from capillaries into cells; facilitated by hemoglobin in red blood cells
- Cellular respiration: O₂ + glucose → energy (ATP) for cellular functions
- Exhalation: CO₂ (waste) transported via blood → alveoli → exhaled
This continuous cycle ensures oxygen delivery and carbon dioxide removal.
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