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How Our Bodies Use Oxygen
What is oxygen? Oxygen is a natural gas. As many of you may know, we use it to breathe. As an element of survival, we would not be able to live without it! But, to be more specific, what does oxygen really do? What are the little processes that take place in our bodies that barely any of us notice?

Our most basic use of oxygen is to be able to breathe. Without breathing, a human will not be able to live. The lungs will need constant supplies of oxygen.

Our brains, just like our lungs, will need oxygen. The average brain can think better with a good amount of it. In addition, it will be easier for the brain to send commands for other parts of the body. If someone were to hold his or her breath, that person would start to feel light-headed. But why?

The human body needs energy to run. The human body needs a certain type of energy if it is going to run. That energy is called ATP (adenisine triphosphate). The enzymes throughout our body can recognize and use this energy. Without it, the cells just simply stop functioning. We can create ATP by eating. The sugars in our everyday foods are digested into smaller molecules, which are then sent to the cells in our body. The sugar molecules will go through several chemical reactions, stripping it of its electrons. The electrons will then be moved to a series of proteins by mitochondria, an organelle within the cell. This is electricity inside of a cell. The proteins will start to produce hydrogen ions (H+), which will travel through the mitochondria. The proteins are so powerful that they help produce hundreds of ATP per second! Oxygen also "takes" the electrons. Holding your breath will make you feel light-headed. Why? It happens because your brain can't get the electrons anymore! The brain also needs oxygen to work properly, because most to all parts of the brain need oxygen to function.