The work of the respiratory system of the body is to extract oxygen from the atmosphere and to transfer it to the bloodstream. It also collects carbon dioxide from the body and releases it into the atmosphere. Lungs are a critical part of the respiratory system and are located in the thoracic cavity of the chest. They are conical in shape and are divided by lobes and fissure.
The two lungs are known as the left lung and the right lung. The primary function of the lungs is to breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide but there is a difference between right and left lung based on several factors. The experts at Vedantu have summarised these lung differences between right and left in an easy to understand format.
The left lung is located on the left of the heart and has a concave impression to accommodate the heart. This impression is known as the cardiac notch and it makes the left lung smaller than the right one. An important difference between the right lung and the left lung is the size.
The right lung is located on the right side of the respiratory system and is shorter than the left lung. It is to accommodate the diaphragm, which rises higher towards the right side over the liver.
Let’s look at the right lung and left lung differences in detail.
Q1. Why is the Left Lung Smaller than the Right?
Ans. Although the right lung is shorter than the left lung, it also broader than the left lung. However, the left lung is smaller than the right lung because of the space taken up by the heart on the left side of the body where the left lung is located. Their size is an important difference between the right and left lung.
Q2. Do We Need Both the Lungs to Breathe?
Ans. In most cases, one lung can pump enough oxygen and remove carbon dioxide from the body. It can help the body to perform daily activities without any problem. However, since only one lung is performing the function of two, it might get overworked sometimes. This would lead to breathlessness and fatigue especially at the time of doing exercise. It can also lead to pain, tiredness, and heart problems later.