Mammalian lungs have an enormous number of minute alveoli (air sac); T...
The number of alveoli in the human lungs has been estimated to be approximately 300 million. This enormous number of alveoli are meant to increase surface area of lungs for diffusion of gases.
View all questions of this test
Mammalian lungs have an enormous number of minute alveoli (air sac); T...
Mammalian lungs have an enormous number of minute alveoli (air sac); This is to allow:
The correct answer is option 'A', which states that the enormous number of minute alveoli in mammalian lungs allows for more surface area for the diffusion of gases. Let's understand why this is the correct answer in detail:
1. Surface Area for Diffusion of Gases:
- In the respiratory system, the exchange of gases, particularly oxygen and carbon dioxide, occurs in the alveoli of the lungs.
- Alveoli are tiny air sacs located at the end of bronchioles, and they are the site where oxygen from inhaled air diffuses into the bloodstream and carbon dioxide from the bloodstream diffuses out into the alveoli to be exhaled.
- The large number of alveoli in the lungs provides a significantly increased surface area for gas exchange to take place.
- The total surface area of the alveoli in human lungs is estimated to be around 70-100 square meters, which is equivalent to the size of a tennis court.
- This extensive surface area allows for a greater amount of oxygen to be absorbed into the bloodstream and a larger amount of carbon dioxide to be expelled from the body.
2. Gas Exchange Efficiency:
- The efficiency of gas exchange is directly related to the surface area available for diffusion.
- The thin walls of the alveoli, combined with their large surface area, allow for a rapid exchange of gases between the air in the alveoli and the blood in the nearby capillaries.
- The oxygen present in the inhaled air diffuses across the alveolar walls into the surrounding capillaries, where it binds to hemoglobin in red blood cells and is transported throughout the body.
- Simultaneously, carbon dioxide produced as a waste product in cells diffuses out of the capillaries into the alveoli to be expelled during exhalation.
- The large number of alveoli ensures that a sufficient amount of oxygen is absorbed and an adequate amount of carbon dioxide is eliminated, meeting the body's metabolic needs.
In summary, the enormous number of minute alveoli in mammalian lungs provides a significantly increased surface area for the efficient diffusion of gases. This allows for a greater amount of oxygen to be absorbed into the bloodstream and a larger amount of carbon dioxide to be expelled, facilitating proper respiration and meeting the body's metabolic demands.