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Breath Composition

The air that is breathed in is different to the air breathed out. The amount of carbon dioxide in our breath can be tested using a solution called lime water.

Differences

Differences

  • Some of the oxygen that is breathed in is used up in respiration, and the carbon dioxide produced in respiration is breathed out.
  • So air that is breathed out contains less oxygen but more carbon dioxide than air breathed in.
  • The air that is breathed out also has more water vapour in it because the airways are moist inside.
Investigate

Investigate

  • Lime water is a clear solution that turns cloudy when carbon dioxide dissolves in it.
  • An experiment where air that has passed through lime water is breathed in (so the carbon dioxide in the air is not breathed in) and exhaled air passes through lime water and turns it cloudy shows that more carbon dioxide is breathed out.
Jump to other topics
1

The Nature & Variety of Living Organisms

2

Structure & Functions in Living Organisms

3

Organism Functions

3.1

Respiration

3.2

Gas Exchange

3.3

Transport

3.4

Excretion

3.5

Coordination & Response

4

Reproduction & Inheritance

5

Ecology

6

Biological Resources

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