Respiration

[JB]

Why alveoli sticking together can prevent you from inhaling easily?

[baikuza]

look at the atmosphre preasure, please. and also the difusion

[victor]

What I know that atmospheric pressure in earth is mesured for 1 atm and the oxygen diffusion rate is depends on the atmospheric pressure....I don't see that it has any relevation with sticking alveoli..can you 'elaborate' it?? -maybe I'm a lil bit clueless-

[Umusav]

reduces surface area; hence less volume of oxygen breathed in.... hence inhale more frequently and deeper!

hope i'm right.... this is my first ever post!

[sdekivit]

Why alveoli sticking together can prevent you from inhaling easily?

all wrong!!!! it's the surface tension that needs to be overcome. If we assume alveoli to be tiny spheres, than they have a very large inward pressure due to the fluid lining inside the alveoli, also known as the surface tension of the fluid. This will follow the law of laplace, whice states that inward pressure is inversely related to the radius of the alveolus.

--> when the radius of the alveolus is very small (as in a collapsed alveolus) the surface tension is huge and to re-open the alveolus, a tremendous force is needed during inspiration to let air flow into the collapsed alveolus.

Besides that, this position is very good for respiration, since these alveoli can take in more air, than alveoli in the top of the lungs (where blood pressure of arterioles and venules is smaller then the pressure of the alveolus) where the alveoli are half opened.

[baikuza]

What I know that atmospheric pressure in earth is mesured for 1 atm and the oxygen diffusion rate is depends on the atmospheric pressure....I don't see that it has any relevation with sticking alveoli..can you 'elaborate' it?? -maybe I'm a lil bit clueless-

1atm is a standard level. not all place in this world takes 1 atm as it preasure.

i mean, about diffusion, alveoli has wet surface, right? then when it is wet the trading between us and air in our lungs become easier. right?