Adaptations of the human lungs for gas exchange
I can describe how the human lungs are adapted to increase the amount of gas exchange.
Adaptations of the human lungs for gas exchange
I can describe how the human lungs are adapted to increase the amount of gas exchange.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- The lungs are made up of tiny air sacs called alveoli.
- Gas exchange takes place between air in alveoli and blood in capillaries.
- There are millions of alveoli to increase the surface area of the lungs for gas exchange.
- The walls of the alveoli are one cell thick to create a short diffusion distance for gas exchange.
- The alveoli are surrounded by capillaries carrying blood, to maintain a concentration gradient for gas exchange.
Common misconception
Student's often refer to the walls of the alveoli as "cell walls".
This lesson makes the scale of different parts of the gas exchange system clear (e.g. whether a structure is a tissue or cell).
Keywords
Alveoli - Alveoli are tiny air sacs in the lungs that carry out gas exchange.
Capillary - Capillaries are tiny blood vessels that bring oxygenated blood to body cells.
Diffusion - The movement of particles from a high concentration to a low concentration is known as diffusion.
Surface area - Surface area is the total area of all the faces of an object.
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
Video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
Exit quiz
6 Questions
creates a short diffusion distance.
provides a large surface area for diffusion.
maintains a concentration gradient of gases.