1. Lesson #8: Gas Exchange Objective:
lungs are structured to optimize gas exchange
smoking damages the lungs and reduces oxygen needed for respiration

2. Are they right? 1.2b Balloons full of air?
Lungs are like balloons made of cells
1.2b Balloons full of air?
Blood and air mix in the lungs
Are they right?
Lungs are bright red because they are full of blood 2

3. 1.2b Balloons full of air?
Similarities
Differences 3

4. 1.2b Balloons full of air? Similarities Differences Both full of air
Both red
2 lungs share one entrance
Real lungs have blood inside them
Real lungs have tubes running through them 4

5. Blood Air 1.2b Balloons full of air?
Walls of cells separate your blood from the air
Blood
Air 5

6. carbon dioxide oxygen 1.2b Balloons full of air?
The blood and air swap, or exchange, molecules so this is a gas exchange.
carbon dioxide
oxygen 6

7. How could you get more gas exchange?
1.2b Balloons full of air?
Gases are only exchanged at surfaces. Blood spends less than a second near an air space when it visits the lungs, so diffusion has to be fast.
How could you get more gas exchange? 7

8. When an air space is divided there is a greater surface area.
1.2b Alveoli
When an air space is divided there is a
greater surface area. 8

9. How can air get to every pocket?
1.2b Alveoli
Each cm3 of lung tissue is divided into 170,000 air pockets called alveoli.
1 cm3
How can air get to every pocket? 9

10. Millions of tiny branches lead air to the alveoli.
1.2b Alveoli
Millions of tiny branches lead air to the alveoli.
low oxygen
high oxygen
Thin-walled blood vessels cover the alveoli and gases move in and out of your blood quickly by diffusion. 10

11. 1.2b Alveoli
Alveoli spread 1/3 of a mug of blood over a surface area the size of a tennis court...
...so gases are diffused to and from a very thin layer of blood. 11

12. What happens to your lungs if you smoke?
1.2b Model lungs
Normal lungs are pink and spongy but smokers’ lungs are tough and black with tar.
How will that affect gas exchange? 12

13. Out of breath
Maria uses an oxygen mask to keep her alive. She can’t get enough oxygen from ordinary air. Her lungs have been damaged by cigarettes.

14. Make a poster!
Maria’s condition is called emphysema. The chemicals in cigarette smoke damage the alveoli walls. Many break down completely so they can no longer be used for gas exchange. The damaged alveoli fill with fluid and make breathing difficult.
1. Make a poster to warn other smokers what breathing problems they should expect when they are older.
2. First explain how alveoli speed up gas exchange in normal lungs.
3. Then explain what is different about smokers’ lungs.
Words to use
alveoli diffusion thin cells good blood supply large surface area gas exchange