Book 10, Question 47
Why Does Altitude Make Some People Breathless?
High mountains can make some people breathless because the air is thinner there! Thinner air has less oxygen in each breath. Bodies slowly adjust over days, and anyone who feels unwell up high should tell a grown-up.
More fun facts
- High up, there is less oxygen in each breath of air.
- With less oxygen in the air, less oxygen gets into your blood, so you may gasp for breath just walking uphill.
- People born and raised at high altitude function well with less oxygen.
- Some high altitude peoples take more breaths per minute than people at sea level.
- People in the Andes breathe at the usual rate but deliver oxygen through their bodies more effectively.
Sources: National Geographic, National Geographic, Scientific American, National Geographic
Questions kids ask
Why do mountain visitors feel breathless?
There is less oxygen in the air up high, so less gets into their blood.