Differences between Respiration and Breathing?

Breathing is the process of getting oxygen into the lungs and carbon dioxide out of the lungs. It allows for gas exchange to take place so that oxygen can be absorbed from the lungs into the blood and carbon dioxide is removed from the blood and breathed out from the lungs.

Respiration is the release of energy from the break down of glucose in living cells. Respiration takes place in every living cell and all cells need to respire to produce the energy they need.

Respiration is a biochemical pathway that takes place in cells to synthesise ATP molecules.

Breathing is a mechanical, physiological process to pass the medium of air or water over a specialised gas exchange surface, i.e. lungs or gills.