Zoology - Breathing and Exchange of Gases Question with Solution | TestHub
A healthy person and an individual with emphysema having equal body mass were made to perform an exercise of the same amount. Their rate of oxygen entering the blood in the lungs was measured and is shown in the table below.
| Healthy Person | Person with emphysema | |
| O2 entering blood per minute | 22 units | 12 units |
Identify the statement that best explains the above outcome.
Options:
Answer:
Solution:
Emphysema is a condition where the elastin fibres surrounding the alveoli are damaged. As a result, the alveoli are not able to contract to its full extent causing reduction in volume of gas exchange. This ultimately leads to low oxygen-carrying capacity. From the table, we can see that the affected individual is showing very low exchange rate compared with the healthy one. Gas exchange site is the alveoli in the lungs. We can conclude that his alveoli are not functioning properly.
