---
title: "How Breathing Works"
description: "Know that we breathe air into our lungs through the nose and mouth, that our lungs take in oxygen from the air which our body needs to stay alive, and that we breathe out carbon dioxide as waste"
canonical: https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/how-breathing-works-mt_tiPyEkm4cU
source: https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/how-breathing-works-mt_tiPyEkm4cU.md
retrieved: 2026-10-19
---

> **Agent view.** This is the Markdown twin of the page, for tools and assistants.
> When to use this site, and the call that answers each job: https://lightmysky.com/agent-instructions.md
> API description (OpenAPI 3.1): https://lightmysky.com/openapi.json · Authentication: https://lightmysky.com/auth.md
> Pricing: https://lightmysky.com/pricing.md · Catalog: https://lightmysky.com/llms.txt · Full catalog: https://lightmysky.com/llms-full.txt
> Every machine-readable file on this domain: https://lightmysky.com/.well-known/ai-catalog.json
> Ask for Markdown with `Accept: text/markdown`, a `.md` address, or `?mode=agent`.

# How Breathing Works

Know that we breathe air into our lungs through the nose and mouth, that our lungs take in oxygen from the air which our body needs to stay alive, and that we breathe out carbon dioxide as waste

Subject: Science · Area: The Human Body · Ages 5 to 7
Page: https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/how-breathing-works-mt_tiPyEkm4cU

## Ready when they can

- Trace the path of air: nose/mouth → windpipe → lungs
- State that lungs take oxygen from the air, which the body needs
- State that we breathe out extra carbon dioxide made by the body

## Lesson: How Breathing Works

You breathe all the time to stay alive, even when you run and play. Air comes in through your nose or mouth. It moves down a tube called your windpipe to your lungs.

*(drawing: Follow the path: nose or mouth, then windpipe, then lungs.)*

**Example.** Ben runs fast at recess. Air goes in through his nose, down his windpipe, and into his lungs. His lungs pull oxygen out of the air, and his body needs that oxygen to keep going. Running uses oxygen faster, so Ben needs more of it. That is why he breathes faster when he runs.

Your lungs take in oxygen and remove extra carbon dioxide. Your body makes this waste gas as it uses food for energy. You breathe it out.

**Recap.** Air comes in, lungs take oxygen, and you breathe out carbon dioxide.

## Practice

8 questions on this page, each with its working shown.

## Opens up

- [Cells, Tissues & Organs](https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/cells-tissues-and-organs-mt_C7FNeIDGc6)
- [Basic Body Needs](https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/basic-body-needs-mt_cxJRc15osy)
- [How the Lungs Work](https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/how-the-lungs-work-mt_zPDDJLAl-J)