Page 7 - Fatigue
P. 7
The surface area of the alveoli are quite
large. If we were to lay out each of the alveoli
in your lungs next to each other, it would cover
an area about the size of a tennis court. This
surface area is necessary because a lot of
oxygen must pass from the lungs to the
bloodstream with each breath to keep up with
the body's demand for ATP.
Bronchiole leading to alveoli. Alveoli are white/yellow ball like structures.
Blood vessels in blue and red.
Source:By Patrick J. Lynch, medical illustrator - Patrick J. Lynch, medical illustrator, CC BY
2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1493050
As a side note, the body can make ATP
without oxygen but it is only about 4 – 5 % as
efficient as when the body uses oxygen. This is
not a sufficient amount to even keep you alive
which is why you must consistently breathe.
Anything that interferes with the amount of
