How we breathe
Chapter 1
The engine of the breath
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Chapter 2
The gas exchange highway
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Chapter 3
The ultimate cleaning crew
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Chapter 4
Breathing at the extremes
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YOUR GOAL
Master of How we breathe
Ch 2 · The gas exchange highway
teacher Breathe it in, breathe it out / A tennis court is inside you / Breathe it in, breathe it out
Fun Fact
Lung surface area: The total surface area of both human lungs is roughly equal to the size of a standard tennis court.
Glossary
alveolus (noun)
A tiny air sac in the lungs where the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide takes place. The human lungs contain roughly 300 million of these microscopic structures to facilitate respiration.
A tiny air sac in the lungs where the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide takes place. The human lungs contain roughly 300 million of these microscopic structures to facilitate respiration.
Quiz
How long does a single red blood cell typically spend inside a lung capillary to exchange gases?
Quiz
In what form is most carbon dioxide transported through the human bloodstream back to the lungs?
Quiz
By what physical process do oxygen and carbon dioxide pass through the alveolar membrane?
Quiz
What is the main chemical trigger that tells the human brain it is time to breathe?