explain the usefulness of large surface area provided by alveoli only for respiration in human beings
Answers
Answer:
Alveoli and your respiratory system
Picture your lungs as two well-branched tree limbs, one on each side of your chest. The right lung has three sections (lobes), and the left lung has two sections (above the heart). The larger branches in each lobe are called bronchi.
The bronchi divide into smaller branches called bronchioles. And at the end of each bronchiole is a small duct (alveolar duct) that connects to a cluster of thousands of microscopic bubble-like structures, the alveoli.
The word alveolus comes from the Latin word for “little cavity.”
Alveoli in cross-section
The alveoli are organized into bunches, each bunch grouped is what’s called the alveolar sac.
The alveoli touch each other, like grapes in a tight bunch. The number of alveoli and alveolar sacs are what give your lungs a spongy consistency. Each alveolus (singular of alveoli) is about 0.2 millimeters in diameter (about 0.008 inches).
Each alveolus is cup-shaped with very thin walls. It’s surrounded by networks of blood vessels called capillaries that also have thin walls.
The oxygen you breathe in diffuses through the alveoli and the capillaries into the blood. The carbon dioxide you breathe out is diffused from the capillaries to the alveoli, up the bronchial tree and out your mouth.
The alveoli are just one cell in thickness, which allows the gas exchange of respiration to take place rapidly. The wall of an alveolus and the wall of a capillary are each about 0.00004 inches (0.0001 centimeters).
Answer:
Gas exchange describes the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide across the respiratory membrane. The alveoli are tiny, circular air sacs which are important because they significantly increase the surface area of the lungs. Gases are able to diffuse through alveoli at a fast pace due to their thin walls.
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