Why is there a residual mass of oxygen left in our lungs?
Answers
Answered by
1
Residual air in lungs is termed “Residual volume”.
It is the air that remains in lungs after maximum exhalation. No matter how hard one tries, residual volume can not be gotten rid of.
And it is so for good reasons.
Firstly, it prevents lungs from collapsing after each breath. Imagine a deflated balloon.

If you had the job of inflating it, how much effort would it take to overcome the initial resistance and blow just a small amount of air in? The answer is A LOT of effort.
The deflated balloon is analogous to a collapsed lung. If not for the residual volume, initiation of each breath would require tremendous effort. Increased work of breathing would simultaneously increase the energy requirements. We would be tried just from breathing!
Secondly, the residual volume keeps lungs ventilated between consecutive breaths. Oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange occurs between end of expiration and beginning of next inspiration.
It may seem unnecessary since the time lapse between consecutive breaths is hardly a second, but having continuous gas exchange makes the respiratory system much more efficient.
Adult lungs usually have about 1.1 - 1.2 liters of residual volume.
hope this helps you....
It is the air that remains in lungs after maximum exhalation. No matter how hard one tries, residual volume can not be gotten rid of.
And it is so for good reasons.
Firstly, it prevents lungs from collapsing after each breath. Imagine a deflated balloon.

If you had the job of inflating it, how much effort would it take to overcome the initial resistance and blow just a small amount of air in? The answer is A LOT of effort.
The deflated balloon is analogous to a collapsed lung. If not for the residual volume, initiation of each breath would require tremendous effort. Increased work of breathing would simultaneously increase the energy requirements. We would be tried just from breathing!
Secondly, the residual volume keeps lungs ventilated between consecutive breaths. Oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange occurs between end of expiration and beginning of next inspiration.
It may seem unnecessary since the time lapse between consecutive breaths is hardly a second, but having continuous gas exchange makes the respiratory system much more efficient.
Adult lungs usually have about 1.1 - 1.2 liters of residual volume.
hope this helps you....
Answered by
1
hope it's helpful....
Attachments:
Similar questions