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Thinking About The Question

How does breathing support life?

How does breathing support life?

We can survive several weeks without food, several days without water, but only a few minutes without air. Breathing is a constant cycle of intake and exhaust. To demonstrate this, have one member of your group use a paper towel to clean and dry a small hand mirror. Have them hold the mirror near, but not touching their mouth. Have them exhale onto the mirror two or three times. Examine the surface of the mirror. What happened to the mirror?

Can you think about the differences between inhaling and exhaling? Do they serve different purposes to support life? Discuss these questions with your team and write down your answers to share with the class. Be prepared to share your results with the class.