Where do the carbon atoms that we are exhaling come from?
In: 5
They’re all from the food you eat! Carbs, fats, and protein all contain lots of carbon atoms. Your body “burns” the food fuel by reacting it with oxygen. Calling it “burning” is maybe more literal than you think – overall it’s actually the same chemical reaction as normal combustion:
fuel + oxygen —> carbon dioxide + water + energy
Your body does this reaction in a slower more controlled way than an open flame, with more steps that allow for collecting and using the energy. But it’s the same reaction. The resulting energy runs your body, the water is used as well, and the carbon dioxide is exhaled.
They’re all from the food you eat! Carbs, fats, and protein all contain lots of carbon atoms. Your body “burns” the food fuel by reacting it with oxygen. Calling it “burning” is maybe more literal than you think – overall it’s actually the same chemical reaction as normal combustion:
fuel + oxygen —> carbon dioxide + water + energy
Your body does this reaction in a slower more controlled way than an open flame, with more steps that allow for collecting and using the energy. But it’s the same reaction. The resulting energy runs your body, the water is used as well, and the carbon dioxide is exhaled.
~~You’re~~ Your food.
One of the ways your body gains energy is to get the carbon atoms in your food and combine them with oxygen.
When done in the particular way your body is able to do it, this releases chemical energy such that the biological machinery in your cells can harness it.
This produces cardon dioxide too, and we breathe out those molecules to get that waste out of our system.
~~You’re~~ Your food.
One of the ways your body gains energy is to get the carbon atoms in your food and combine them with oxygen.
When done in the particular way your body is able to do it, this releases chemical energy such that the biological machinery in your cells can harness it.
This produces cardon dioxide too, and we breathe out those molecules to get that waste out of our system.
~~You’re~~ Your food.
One of the ways your body gains energy is to get the carbon atoms in your food and combine them with oxygen.
When done in the particular way your body is able to do it, this releases chemical energy such that the biological machinery in your cells can harness it.
This produces cardon dioxide too, and we breathe out those molecules to get that waste out of our system.
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