The molecule dance

Oxygen atoms dance in the atmosphere. They don't really like to dance alone, so you will usually find two dancing together, arm in arm. (O2)

Picture a charming couple, two oxygen atoms, making a molecule. They swirl with the other couples in the atmosphere, and the sun calls the tune. Hotter, faster, up! Up! Cooler, slower, down, down.

They dance happily along, and spot a crowd of other molecules close together. Something interesting is happening! They take a closer look. Suddenly, swoosh! They are swept with the crowd into the dark cabaret of a pair of lungs. They catch a hemoglobin shuttle in the blood stream, and are carried off into the hugest party ever.

Our oxygen atoms get separated at some point, as they investigate the goings on. One helps out in the liver, where gangs of carbohydrate and protein molecules are distributing sun energy into the body. The other joins up for a while with a group of molecules to form an antibody, and fight off a virus gang of party crashers, intent on making trouble.

They dance with many other atoms, and see many things. The slow chess games of calcium atoms in the bones, and the swift, shocking dance of the nervous system. Eventually our two oxygen atoms meet up again. What a wonderful time they have been having. A handsome carbon atom tells them that, if they think this is fun, they ought to try out a plant party. There's a whole different set of adventures there!

So the three of them link arms (CO2) and catch the nearest vein to the lungs. Whoosh! They are back in the atmosphere, off to new adventures.


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