1.

2: Gas Exchange
Learning Objectives
1. Describe the diffusion of oxygen and carbon dioxide between blood and the air in the lungs.
2. The structure of an air sac (Today)
3. Compare the carbon content of inspired air and expired air. (Tomorrow)
AIR SACS
The structure of an air sac
Air sacs
❑Lungs are mostly holes.
❑These holes are called as an air sac / alveoli
❑There are a lot of blood vessels in the lungs wrapped around the air sac.
❑These blood vessels are known as capillaries.
Structure of an air sac
1. Air sac has a wall made of one layer of cells.
2. Cells are very thin.
3. Blood capillaries is on the outside of the alveoli
4. The capillary is pressed tightly against the alveolus.
5. Wall of capillary is made up of single layer of very thin cells.
 Gas exchange in the air sac
I. Inside the air sac, oxygen from the air goes into the blood.
II. The carbon dioxide from blood goes into the air.
III. This is known as gaseous exchange.
 Gas exchange in the air sac
a) Blood from heart (inside the capillary): Less oxygen and a lot of carbon dioxide
b) Blood to the heart (air sac): More oxygen and less carbon dioxide
c) The oxygen particle move from air sac through a thin walled cells into the blood.
d) This process is known as diffusion
e) Oxygen gets into the blood , it dissolves.
f) Inside the red blood cells, haemoglobin
g) Oxygen combines with haemoglobin.
 QUICK QUESTION
Draw the structure of air sac (Book 1) and label the following:
I. Blood capillary
II. Air sac
III. Blood from the heart
IV. Blood to the heart
V. The direction of oxygen diffusion
VI. The direction of carbon dioxide
VII. The direction of Inspired air
VIII. The direction of Expired air
THANK YOU!
Madam Shameenii Thanebal
shamenii.thanebal@wms.edu.my