Alveoli and gas exchange Flashcards
where does gas exchange happen
in the alveoli oxygen is diffused into the blood and carbon dioxide is diffused into the alveoli
how many alveoli are there
700,000,000 which gives it a huge surface area making it great for diffusion
what do the alveoli look like
a bunch of grapes covered by capillaries
what does the air diffuse across
it diffuses across 2 very thin walls the wall of the capillary and the wall made of cells in the alveoli. the walls are so thin the distance between them is less than a thousandth of a meter
how does the gas exchange happen
the alveoli has more oxygen than the blood so the oxygen diffuses across to the blood and there is more carbon dioxide in the blood so it diffuses across to the alveoli
what happens to the oxygenated blood
it goes back to the heart which then pumps it back out to the body oxidizing cell that are respiring
