Question: Explain how the structure of the alveoli in the lungs helps to maximize gas exchange. What adaptations make them efficient?

Gliday Yuka answered on 16 Jul 2025:

The alveoli in your lungs are like tiny air sacs that make breathing super efficient by exchanging oxygen and carbon dioxide with your blood.

They’re tiny (like 200-300 micrometres), so you have millions packed in, creating a huge surface area—think a tennis court squished into your lungs—for max gas exchange.

Their walls are thin (one cell thick), so oxygen can slip into your blood and carbon dioxide can slip out fast, like passing notes through a super thin window.

They’re also wrapped in capillaries, blood vessels that hug them tightly, making the swap even quicker.

Plus, alveoli are coated with a slippery fluid called “surfactant” that keeps them from collapsing, so they’re always ready to work. These adaptations make sure you get the oxygen you need to keep your day, whether you’re running or chilling.