Respiration—that's breathing isn't it?

This paper describes research (carried out in schools) aimed at isolating and identifying the key concepts within the topics of gaseous exchange and respiration which children find difficult to learn. The procedures used included questionnaires, diagnostic tests, and interviews. The results of the study reveal that the cellular basis of respiration, the nature of respiration in plants, and the applications of concepts of physical science to biology, are all areas of knowledge which are poorly understood by pupils. The implications of the study for the improvement of the teaching of these topics in schools are discussed.