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The oxygen in inhaled air passes across the thin lining of the air sacs and into the blood vessels. This is known as diffusion. The oxygen in the blood is then carried around the body in the bloodstream, reaching every cell.
Oxygen forms about 21% of the air around us. In your body, oxygen forms a vital role in the production of energy in most cells. But if gases can only efficiently diffuse across tiny distances, how does oxygen reach the cells deep inside your body? Enda Butler tracks the surprisingly complex journey of oxygen through your body.
Source: TED-Ed, Lesson by Enda Butler, animation by Compote Collective.
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