Remember the law of conservation of mass. The human body uses cellular respiration to make energy. Using the chemical equation for cellular respiration, explain how the amounts of oxygen and carbon dioxide inhaled by the lungs is different from the amounts exhaled. Explain your answer in 1-2 sentences.
1 answer
In cellular respiration, glucose (C6H12O6) from food is combined with oxygen (O2) to produce carbon dioxide (CO2), water (H2O), and energy. Therefore, the amount of oxygen inhaled by the lungs is greater than the amount exhaled, while the amount of carbon dioxide exhaled is greater than the amount inhaled as it is a byproduct of cellular respiration.