Courses
Courses for Kids
Free study material
Offline Centres
More
Store Icon
Store
seo-qna
SearchIcon
banner

What will be the ${ pO }_{ 2 }$ and ${ pCO }_{ 2 }$ in the atmospheric air compared to those in the alveolar air
(a) ${ pO }_{ 2 }$ lesser, ${ pCO }_{ 2 }$ higher
(b) ${ pO }_{ 2 }$ higher, ${ pCO }_{ 2 }$ lesser
(c) ${ pO }_{ 2 }$ higher, ${ pCO }_{ 2 }$ higher
(d) ${ pO }_{ 2 }$ lesser, ${ pCO }_{ 2 }$ lesser

Answer
VerifiedVerified
555.3k+ views
Hint: It happens at two sites within the body: when oxygen is picked up and carbon dioxide is released at the respiratory membrane in the lungs, and oxygen is released and ${ CO }_{ 2 }$ is picked up in the tissues. The actual exchange of gases occurs through simple diffusion. Energy isn't required to maneuver oxygen or ${ CO }_{ 2 }$ across membranes.

Complete answer
The ${ pO }_{ 2 }$ (partial pressure of oxygen) are going to be higher within the atmospheric air compared thereto within the alveolar air. Inside the atmospheric air compared to those in the alveolar air the ${ pCO }_{ 2 }$ ( partial pressure of carbon dioxide) will be lesser. In atmospheric air, ${ pO }_{ 2 }$ is about 159 torr. In alveolar air, it's about 104 torr. The ${ pCO }_{ 2 }$ is about 0.3 mm Hg in atmospheric air. In alveolar air, it's about 40 torr.

Additional information
Alveolar air represents the air located within the respiratory, a part of the lungs which takes part in gas exchange with the blood within the pulmonary capillaries. Alveolar air, therefore, may be a physiological quantity and doesn't represent the air located strictly within the anatomical alveoli.
It measures about 3000 ml and is the most vital part of the air within the systema respiratorium since it's primarily liable for oxygenation of the blood and unloading the venous blood of adequate quantities of ${ pCO }_{ 2 }$. With a tidal volume of 500 ml, around 350 ml of oxygen-rich climatic air blends in with the alveolar air to recharge the oxygen lost from alveolar air by assimilation with the venous blood.

Note: Ventilation is that the process that moves air into and out of the alveoli, and perfusion affects the flow of blood within the capillaries. Both are important in gas exchange, as ventilation must be sufficient to make a high partial pressure of oxygen within the alveoli. The capillary is constricted and blood flow is redirected to alveoli with sufficient ventilation and if the ventilation is insufficient then therefore the partial pressure of oxygen drops within the alveolar air.