Bronchus The trachea divides into two bronchi, one for each lung. This allows air to flow into and out of the lungs.
Lungs
The lungs are two large, spongy, elastic organs located in the chest cavity. They expand easily during inhalation and contract back to normal size during exhalation.
Bronchioles
Each bronchus divides into increasingly narrow tubes in the lungs, called bronchioles.
Alveolus At the tip of each bronchiole is a tiny air sac called an alveolus. There are millions of alveoli in the lungs. This is where the exchange of gases between blood and air takes place.
The alveoli are surrounded by capillaries that carry blood. • Oxygen moves from the alveoli to the capillaries. • Carbon dioxide and water move from the capillaries to the alveoli.
Eureka There are approximately 300 million alveoli in each lung. This provides a large surface area for gas exchange.
Diffusion allows each gas to move from an area where it is in high concentration to an area where it is in low concentration. The walls of the alveoli and capillaries are very thin (one cell thick), which allows the gases to pass through them easily.
Air out
Blood containing carbon dioxide
Air in
:Fig. 8.3 The lungs in the chest cavity
Capillary Carbon dioxide Alveolus Oxygen
Blood containing oxygen :Fig. 8.4 The exchange of gases at an alveolus 68 Elements of Science