I know that oxygen is taken from our lungs and delivered throughout the body through our bloodstream, but why oxygen? Why does it give us energy?
2006-11-13 17:02:06 · 8 answers · asked by Megan 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
Thank you, rowdyowl. I have heard something about breathing oxygen having something to do with the make up of water, and your answer confirms it. However, I wasn't exactly sure what the process was or what purpose it served us.
Your answer has been helpful, but if this process can be explained in a little greater detail, I'd be much obliged.
2006-11-13 17:35:05 · update #1
WindWalker's statement that oxygen is necessary for the synthesis of nutrients we need is a little misleading. Oxygen is basically the end of the electron transport chain, and binds hydrogens that have passed though the ion gradient of the mitochondiral matrix to form water.
Hydrogen passes through this gradient in the mitochondrial matrix via passive, channel mediated transport. The concentration of H+ on one side is high, and low on the other, since they get bound to Oxygen to form water. Every time an H+ ion passes through, energy for ATP production is derived.
2006-11-13 17:18:24 · answer #1 · answered by rowdyowl 2 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Hydrogen, we've extra hydrogen in our body than oxygen There are extra reaction that flow on with hydrogen being exchanged than oxygen. some bacteria dont favor oxygen to live on yet all of us favor hydrogen. The solar makes gentle/potential by hydrogen fusion to kind helium. So hydrogen is extra functional to people.
2016-11-29 03:10:52 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Oxygen is very important during cellular respiration. They are the final electron acceptor that revert the proteins used in respiration to their oxidized form. The oxygen then picks up some protons to make the unharmful molecule of water.
Overall, it oxidizes the proteins so they can be reused and it creates a null product.
2006-11-13 17:12:27 · answer #3 · answered by munkmunk17 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
think of a lifeless planet. just earth, and atmosphere. the atmosphere has a lot of oxygen so as natural selection takes affect ,the organisms that develope the ability to use oxygen for respiration are in a better position to survive due to the excess of O2 and the autotophs ability to use O2 as a sorce of energy. organisms may be able to survive on nitrogen but they would be trivial in comparison with oxygen utilizing organsims.(oxygen gives more energy because of its electron arrangement) thus the other organisms would die off as a result of being consumed by the other organisms.
2006-11-13 17:59:14 · answer #4 · answered by neuralverse 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It's just a function of how your body was designed to operate. Oxygen molecules (O2) are involved in the synthesis of nutrients your body needs. You exhale CO2.
Just so happens that plants "inhale" CO2 and "exhale" O2.
The nature of Oxygen molecules, the number of electrons they have, and their bonding properties, make them behave very differently from nitroge, hydrogen and helium as they interact within your body.
2006-11-13 17:07:26 · answer #5 · answered by WindWalker10 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
As you know, oxygen is required to make fire. When they say you burn calories, they really mean it. Since people are mostly water, nothing catches fire, but it does produce some major body heat.
2006-11-13 17:15:49 · answer #6 · answered by gregory_dittman 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It is the air that we literally must have to breathe. Without oxygen, death would result.
2006-11-13 17:15:11 · answer #7 · answered by rosey 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Rowdyowl has it right.
2006-11-13 22:39:55 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋