Why Do We Need Oxygen? Uses, Importance, and Facts
The most common element on earth is oxygen. It is a flavourless, odourless gas that constitutes 21% of air. Water, minerals, and practically all living things contain oxygen. It is necessary for life. Two oxygen atoms make up the typical oxygen molecule. Three-atom ozone is present in the upper atmosphere. The oxygen cycle shows how oxygen circulates throughout the environment.
We all have an idea about the importance of oxygen in living beings. However, we do not know much about its function in the body. Do you know the air we breathe is 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen? Secondly, a human being inhales and exhales about 16 times per minute. Imagine! Moreover, oxygen accounts for 65% of the human body and influences 90% of the energy of the entire body. Interesting,right? Keep reading to learn more.
Oxygen
Why Do We Need Oxygen?
A question every kid once asks is why oxygen is important for us. Human beings can go up to a month without food, and a week without water. He can only survive a few minutes without oxygen. Oxygen enters through the nose and mouth and reaches the lungs. These inflate once it reaches the smallest part (alveoli). The oxygen then enters the capillary network (made up of smaller diameter blood vessels), where it binds to haemoglobin.
The protein that makes up red blood cells is called haemoglobin. This is responsible for transporting oxygen from the lungs to all the cells of the body. It subsequently becomes a carrier for carbon dioxide back to the lungs.
Importance of Oxygen
Benefits of Oxygen in the Body - The Importance of Oxygen
As we have mentioned before, oxygen influences many functions of the body. The lack of this can lead to severe complications and even cause death. Oxygen is an essential element for the brain. This helps the cognitive system to function optimally, as well as improve motor skills. When the brain receives a sufficient amount of oxygen, it facilitates the work of the heart, maintaining an optimal heart rate.
Oxygen additionally helps cell regeneration of damaged tissue and enhances cell regeneration. Recently, oxygen has been used as a treatment for some diseases.
Anaemia
Infection of the skin
sudden deafness
Burns
Sudden vision loss
Use of Oxygen
Some Facts About Oxygen
Oxygen (atomic number 8 and symbol O) is one of those elements you just can't live without. You find it in the oxygen in the air you breathe, the water you drink, and the food you eat. Here are some quick facts about oxygen.
Animals and plants need oxygen to breathe.
Oxygen gas is colourless, odourless, and tasteless.
The liquid and solid oxygen are pale blues.
Oxygen also comes in other colours, including red, pink, orange, and black. There is even a form of oxygen that looks like metal!
Oxygen is not a metal.
Oxygen promotes combustion. However, pure oxygen itself does not burn.
About 2/3 of the mass of the human body is oxygen because oxygen and hydrogen make up water. There are more hydrogen atoms in your body than oxygen atoms, but they represent very little mass.
Dry air contains approximately 21% oxygen, 78% nitrogen, and 1% other gases. While oxygen is relatively abundant in the atmosphere, it is so reactive that it is unstable and must be constantly replenished by plant photosynthesis. The third most common element in the universe is oxygen.
Fresh water contains about 6.04 ml of dissolved oxygen per litre, while seawater only contains about 4.95 ml of oxygen.
Summary
Humans included, almost all living things require breathing oxygen to exist. In order to produce energy, both plants and animals use oxygen from their environment. Instead of using oxygen that is present in the air, aquatic plants and animals use oxygen that has been dissolved in water. All living organisms constantly have access to oxygen thanks to the oxygen cycle, which continually circulates the gas throughout the environment. This was all about oxygen as of now. You can learn about more of such interesting facts and Science topics by heading to our website.
FAQs on Oxygen in Air - The Energy That is Breathed
1. What will happen if oxygen on earth stops for 5 seconds?
Our verdant world would turn into a harsh desert if there was no oxygen present for even a little period of time. There would be fewer particles for the light to bounce off if there were no oxygen molecules in the atmosphere. For a variety of metabolic processes to take place, oxygen is necessary for all plants and animals. We wouldn't be able to breathe without oxygen, and life as we know it would stop.
In water, oxygen gas dissolves. The oxygen that is dissolved in water is used for respiration by plants and animals that dwell in the water. Therefore, oxygen gas that has been dissolved in water is crucial for the survival of aquatic creatures and plants.
2. Is two litres of oxygen excessive?
One to two litres of oxygen may be needed each minute by some people who need oxygen supplementation. This requirement may translate into three to four litres of medical oxygen per minute, depending on the amount of oxygen that is currently being wasted and the lungs' current capacity to use oxygen.
