How are humans adapted for gas

exchange?
Specification link for
today:
Learning Questions for today
•What is the structure of the
human gas exchange system?
•How does gas exchange
occur in the alveoli and what
adaptations exist to maximise
this exchange?
•How does ventilation occur?
 Alveoli and Gas Exchange
Learning Objectives:
•Describe the structure and function of alveoli
•Explain the importance of diffusion gradients in
gas exchange and how they are maintained

Starter
1.Put these structures in the correct order:
Alveoli, Bronchi, Trachea, Bronchioles
2.What would you say is the general function of
the trachea, bronchi and bronchioles?
3.What would you say is the general function of
the alveoli?
 What are the alveoli?

Air sacs at the end of the bronchioles in

the lungs

Each individual one is called an alveolus

About 480 million alveoli in each lung

Responsible for gas exchange

Pulmonary Vein Pulmonary Artery
The alveoli are all about gas
exchange

What gases do they want to exchange

with the blood?

So, we want to maximise diffusion in

our alveoli – let’s look at how we do
this
 What is diffusion?
Write down your definition of diffusion

The net movement of

atoms/molecules/ions from a region of
higher concentration to a region of lower
concentration (until they are evenly
distributed)
What factors affect the rate
of diffusion?
Also called
Diffusion is concentration
proportional to: gradient

Surface Area x Difference in concentration

Length of diffusion path

 Speeding up Diffusion

• Not more, just faster

1. Thin walls
2.Millions of alveoli
3.Inhale/exhale air &
continuous blood flow
4.Narrow capillaries
 1. Thin Walls
• Both the alveoli and the pulmonary
capillaries have very thin walls

• This shortens the diffusion pathway

• So, rate of diffusion increases

 2. Large Surface Area
• There are ~480 million alveoli in each
lung (and many pulmonary capillaries)

• This creates a very large surface area

• So, rate of diffusion increases

 3. Inhale/exhale air
• Breathing constantly ventilates the lungs

• This brings in fresh new air that has lots of

oxygen and little carbon dioxide in it

• This maintains a high diffusion/conc. Gradient

for O2 AND CO2

• So, rate of diffusion stays high

 3. Continuous blood flow
• The heart constantly pumps blood around the
body (e.g. to the alveoli)

• This brings in new blood that has lots of

carbon dioxide and little oxygen in it

• This maintains a high diffusion/conc.

Gradient for O2 AND CO2

• So, rate of diffusion stays high

 4. Narrow Capillaries
Pulmonary capillaries are narrow. This
means:

1.Flow of RBCs slowed through capillaries

 more time for gas exchange

2.RBCs flattened against capillary walls 

small diffusion distance