The air we breathe is essentially the same mixture of gases found in our atmosphere. While we often associate breathing with "getting oxygen," our bodies inhale all the atmospheric gases in proportion to their presence. Our respiratory system then extracts the oxygen needed for bodily functions.
Here's a breakdown of the composition of the air we breathe:
- Nitrogen (N2): Approximately 78%
- Oxygen (O2): Approximately 21%
- Argon (Ar): Approximately 1%
- Carbon Dioxide (CO2): Approximately 0.04%
- Water Vapor (H2O): Varies, typically around 0.5%
It's important to understand that our noses and lungs don't filter out the other gases. We inhale the entire mixture, and our bodies utilize the oxygen component while exhaling the rest, including carbon dioxide produced as a byproduct of respiration. The composition of exhaled air differs, with a higher concentration of carbon dioxide and a lower concentration of oxygen.
In summary, the air we breathe is a complex mixture of gases directly drawn from the atmosphere, with oxygen being the key component extracted and used by our bodies.
