NCERT Solutions Curiosity Chapter 11 .1 Air — Activity 11.1: Let us experience

Book page 20811 Updated on2026-09-05

Q1.
Take a deep breath in, and then breathe out slowly. Take a deeper breath in again. Hold your breath for as long as you can and then breathe out slowly. How long can you hold your breath?
Answer

Most Class 6 students can hold their breath for about 25 to 45 seconds. A trained swimmer may manage a minute or more, and after running about, the time drops to only 10–15 seconds.

How to do it properly:

  • Sit still and calm. Ask a friend to time you with a watch or by counting slowly.
  • Breathe in deeply, hold, and stop the moment you feel uncomfortable — then breathe out slowly.
  • Repeat two more times and write down all three timings.
TryTime held (sample readings)
First try28 seconds
Second try35 seconds
Third try (after running)14 seconds
Why the time is short: the air we breathe in contains oxygen. Our body needs a steady supply of oxygen to do its work. When we hold our breath, no fresh oxygen reaches the body, so within seconds it forces us to breathe again.
Caution (from the book): Do not hold your breath for so long that you start feeling uncomfortable. Never try this in water.
Q2.
How do you feel when you hold your breath?
Answer

At first nothing happens, but very soon there is a strong, uncomfortable urge to breathe.

  • A heaviness or tightness in the chest.
  • The heart beats faster.
  • A burning feeling in the throat and a wish to gasp.
  • If held longer — giddiness and the face turning red.
  • Great relief the moment you breathe out and take fresh air in.
Why it happens: the body cannot store oxygen. When we hold our breath the body does not get enough oxygen to carry on its functions, and the used-up carbon dioxide keeps collecting in the blood. The body senses this and forces us to breathe. That is why we can live for days without food or water, but not for even a few minutes without oxygen.
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