what function to the alveoli perform
1. exchange oxygen in the air for carbon dioxide in the blood
2. bronchioles
3. the alveoli
4. It carries deoxygenated blood from the body to the heart.
The alveoli function as tiny air sacs in the lungs where gas exchange occurs. Oxygen from the air we breathe diffuses across the alveolar walls into the bloodstream, while carbon dioxide from the bloodstream diffuses across the alveolar walls into the air we exhale.
what function do the alveoli perform? (1 point)
A.exchange oxygen in the air for carbon dioxide in the blood
B. exchange oxygen in blood for carbon dioxide in the air
C. carry oxygenated blood away from the heart
D. hold receptors for the sense of smell
idk
The alveoli in the lungs perform the function of gas exchange. It is where oxygen from the inhaled air enters the bloodstream, and carbon dioxide, a waste product of cellular respiration, is removed from the bloodstream and exhaled. The exchange of these gases occurs through a process called diffusion.
To get a better understanding of how the alveoli function, you can simulate gas exchange in your own body by following these steps:
1. Take a deep breath in through your nose. This action draws air into your respiratory system, which includes your lungs.
2. As you breathe through your nose, the air passes into your trachea (windpipe) and then splits into the left and right bronchi, which lead to the lungs.
3. Each bronchus further divides into smaller and smaller branches called bronchioles, eventually leading to clusters of tiny air sacs called alveoli.
4. Picture the alveoli as tiny, grape-like structures located at the end of the bronchioles. They are surrounded by tiny blood vessels called capillaries.
5. As you exhale, the carbon dioxide in your blood is transported to the alveoli through the capillaries. Simultaneously, oxygen from the inhaled air diffuses across the alveolar walls into the capillaries.
6. The oxygen-rich blood then returns to the heart, where it is pumped to other parts of the body, providing oxygen to cells for various bodily functions.
7. At the same time, the carbon dioxide you breathed out is expelled from your body.
By understanding this process, you get a better grasp of how the alveoli function in facilitating gas exchange, ensuring that your body receives the oxygen it needs and removes waste gases efficiently.