Oxygen Molecule Journey Through the Respiratory System Essay

Hi my name is Roscoe and I am an oxygen cell. I was told by my grandfather Gene that I was a very important cell. He told me that when someone takes a breath they take in all types of molecules in the air including myself. My grandfather was a very wise man and whenever he talked I listened. “You will take a very important path around the body one day Roscoe,” my grandfather said to me. “Really grandpa,” I asked. “Yes, through the Respiratory System,” he said. The word Respiratory System sounded so cool to me so I had to ask, “What’s that? “The Respiratory System is the path that air travels through, into the lungs, to the blood and then to the heart,” he replied.

“One day you will travel through the blood stream to the rest of the body. On your path you will go through major veins and arteries until finally you arrive to your destination,” he continued. I was so excited about this journey I couldn’t wait.

“When will it happen? ” I asked my grandfather. “When the time is right my son,” he replied. This is the story of my journey through the Respiratory System.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.The day started off like any other day. The sun was out, the sky was bright blue and the birds were chirping away, when all of a sudden I felt a tugging sensation. Something was pulling me in. “What is that,” I asked myself. Then I saw her, a little girl playing with bubbles. As she took a deep breath in to blow the next set of bubbles, in I went, through her mouth.

“My journey has begun,” I thought to myself. As I went down this narrow tube like structure, I noticed I wasn’t alone; there were other oxygen cells with me. “Where are we? ” I asked one of the cells. We are in the trachea,” one of them replied back to me. “It leads to the lungs,” he continued.

“What’s your name? ” I asked him. “My name is Jacob,” he said. “Nice to meet you Jacob, my name is Roscoe,” I told him.

“I’m glad you’re here because I don’t know what any of this stuff is called,” I continued. “No problem,” he said. “I’ll tell you what everything is called. ” “Awesome! ” I exclaimed. Along with Jacob and other oxygen molecules we were then transported down a hollow cavity. Jacob told me we were being transported down to an alveoli.We passed through its wall which was very thin but strong and then through the capillary wall which was also very thin.

Finally in the blood stream we were. All around me there were these slightly indented, flattened disks, red in color. Jacob told me that the deoxygenated blood was being pumped by the heart and that we were here to oxygenate it. Soon we were all swept in. As I was going through I noticed a not so appealing molecule.

“Who is that? ” I asked Jacob, “That’s a Carbon Monoxide molecule. They are bad for the body so the little girl is going to breathe him out to rid the body of it,” he answered. Oh okay,” I replied. In a flash a red blood cell picked me up as we passed through the capillary stream and I panicked. I was being separated from Jacob. “Jacob,” I shouted with my arms reaching for him.

“It’s okay she will guide you the rest of the way,” he reassured me. “You will be safe. ” “My name is Abby,” the red blood cell said.“I will guide you to your destination. ” She took my hand and guided me to the heart, which pushed us around the body. Abby told me she was taking me to a cell in the arm, which needed energy to keep the little girls arm moving so she can blow more bubbles. It’s my job to drop you off,” Abby explained.

“And on my way back up to the lungs I will pick up any waste produced by cells so it can be breathed out. ” “How will you travel back up? ” I asked curiously. “Well right now we are traveling through an artery, however on my way back up I will travel through a vein,” she replied. When we arrived to my destination, a cell in the little girls arm, I thanked Abby for dropping me off and she continued on her journey. There waiting for me was a glucose molecule named Fred and some water. What do we do here? ” I asked Fred.

“Here we all join together and form energy,” he replied. “Oh okay,” I acknowledged excitingly. We all joined together and VIOLA! The cell had energy.But afterwards something happened. I had been changed. I wasn’t the same molecule anymore. A different blood cell named Jim swept me up.

“What’s happening,” I asked Jim. “Well you have been broken down into a carbon monoxide molecule which is harmful to the body. So I have to transport you and any other waste out of the body as quickly as possible,” he replied. Just like Abby told me she was going to do,” I thought to myself.

So back on up to the lungs I went. I passed through the capillary wall once again back into the alveoli and suddenly the little girl exhaled and I burst out of her mouth along with other carbon monoxide molecules. The journey my grandfather had told me I would one day experience had just finished. The day I journeyed through the Respiratory System was the most exciting day of my life as an oxygen molecule.

I met so many great friends and I will never forget.