How do lungs work? I know we need oxygen for cells but why and how?
In: Biology
More oversimplification: We need oxygen because we run on a similar process to burning wood. The fats and sugar in our body end up oxidized in order to release the energy our body uses.
As for the how: Our lungs continually branch to progressively smaller sections until we reach alveoli; small sacks where the diffusion of oxygen takes place. This is where blood circulates in the lungs, and the membrane is thin enough that carbon dioxide (the waste product from respiration) can diffuse from out of the body, and fresh oxygen can diffuse from the air into the body. Things have a natural tendency to move from areas of higher concentration to a lower concentration, and the lungs evolved with a ridiculous amount of surface area in order to facilitate as much diffusion as quickly as possible.
Oversimplification: Air goes into lungs. Bronchi receive oxygen. Oxygen goes into bloodstream and transported to organs.
Lack of oxygen causes cell death. That’s just how we are.
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