Name: What is Asthma?
Uploaded: 2019-07-19
Duration: 1 min 45 s
Description: Asthma is a condition in which a person's airways become inflamed, narrow and swollen which makes it difficult to breathe. Know more about it in this video.

Question

Diffusion of gases occurs in the alveolar region only and not in any other part of the respiratory system. Discuss.

Accepted Answer

Alveoli are the primary sites of exchange of gases. They are made up of a layer of squamous epithelial cells for respiratory gas exchange. Diffusion of respiratory gases takes place in the alveolar region as they are thin with the large surface area. They are highly vascular.

pO₂in alveoli is ( 104mm Hg) and it is higher than that in the deoxygenated blood in the capillaries of pulmonary arteries (95 mm Hg). So there is a diffusion of O₂ from alveoli to the blood capillaries. Also, pCO₂is higher in deoxygenated blood in tissues (45mm of Hg) than in alveoli (40mm of Hg). Therefore, carbon dioxide diffuses from blood to the alveoli.

Diffusion of gases occurs in the alveolar region only and not in any other part of the respiratory system. Discuss.

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