We were taught is school that we are breathing in molecules from Caesar’s last breath, if this is true it should hold true for every person that ever lived, is our atmosphere really that fluid?

Question

We were taught is school that we are breathing in molecules from Caesar’s last breath, if this is true it should hold true for every person that ever lived, is our atmosphere really that fluid?

In: 27

Answer 1

Essentially. Matter cannot be created or destroyed so the atoms of oxygen now in our lungs have been on earth for all of geological history. The catch though is that chemical reaction can breakdown and combine molecules. So a water molecule that was once in Caesar’s bladder could have been broken down and eventually the oxygen atom, paired with another one (O2) can be in some scuba divers oxygen tank.