The structure of the gas exchange system

Below is the process of the gas exchange system:
▪Firstly air enters the body through the mouth or nose, from here it moves to the pharynx (throat), passes through the larynx (voice box) and enters the trachea. 
▪The trachea splits into two branches, the left and right bronchus, each bronchus divides many times into smaller branches called bronchioles.
▪Each bronchiole finally leads to a bunch of tiny air sacs, called alveoli, which inflate during inhalation, and deflate during exhalation.  
▪Air enters the body through the mouth and nose, from here it moves to the pharynx (throat), passes through the larynx (voice box) and enters the trachea.
▪The trachea splits into two branches, the left and right bronchus, each bronchus divides many times into smaller branches called bronchioles.
▪Each bronchiole finally leads to a bunch of tiny air sacs, called alveoli, which inflate during inhalation, and deflate during exhalation.
▪Gas exchange is the delivery of oxygen from the lungs to the bloodstream, and the elimination of carbon dioxide from the bloodstream to the lungs and out of the body. It takes place in the alveoli.
▪The walls of the alveoli are surrounded by a network of blood capillaries.
▪In fact the alveoli walls share a membrane with the capillaries which allows for oxygen to diffuse through the alveoli wall and enter the bloodstream and then travel to the heart.
▪At the same time it allows for carbon dioxide to diffuse from the bloodstream into the alveoli and exhaled out of the body.
▪Both oxygen and carbon dioxide move from areas of high concentration to areas of lower concentration.

 

Chapter 3 - Breathing and Gas Exchange

We breathe everyday, hour, minute and second but what is breathing? You know it's that inhaling and exhaling thing we do everythin' mate! But guys, I'll tell you that it's more than that!

Breathing is the process of getting oxygen into the lungs and carbon dioxide out of the lungs. It allows for gas exchange to take place so that oxygen can be absorbed from the lungs into the blood and carbon dioxide is removed from the blood and breathed out from the lungs.

Many people say that breathing and respiration are the same. Nope, they are not the same.

Respiration is the release of energy from the break down of glucose in living cells. Respiration takes place in every living cell and all cells need to respire to produce the energy they need.

BIG difference!!