In this deck, we'll explore why all living things need energy and how they get it through respiration. We'll cover the main uses of this energy in the body and look at how scientists can measure the rate of respiration.

First, let's clear up a very common mistake students make in exams. Respiration is not the same as breathing. Breathing is the physical process of moving air in and out of your lungs. Respiration is a chemical reaction that happens inside every single living cell to release energy.

The energy released by respiration is vital for survival. It powers countless processes. For example, it's needed for movement, through muscle contraction, and for building new, complex molecules in a process called protein synthesis.