How does smoking effect the rate of gas absorption?

Answer 1

Structure of the Human Respiratory System

Lungs-gas exchange organ in air-breathing vertebrates and some other animals

Diaphragm-muscle that forms the floor of the chest cavity and separates the lungs from the abdominal cavity

Pleura- two layered membrane that encloses the lungs. One layer touches the lung, the other is in contact with the diaphragm and other organs in the chest cavity. A lubricating fluid between the two allows for the lungs to move freely during breathing.

The Nose- air enters through the nostrils into the nasal passages into capillaries. Hair in the nose prevents foreign matter from entering the air passages.

Pharynx and Larynx- air passes into the pharynx (throat) into the larynx (voice box). Vocal cords are two membranes that are stretched over the larynx and when air is breathed out they vibrate. The epiglottis prevents food and fluid from entering the larynx.

Trachea- "windpipe"- tube about 12cm long. Held open by rings of cartilage.

Structure of the Human Respiratory System, cont.

Bronchi - two cartilage-ringed tubes that divide from the trachea. These enter the lungs and branch into bronchial tubes.

Bronchioles- a group of tiny tubes that have branched from the bronchial tubes whose ends look like a bunch of grapes.

Alveoli- tiny air chambers at the end of the bronchioles that are the respiratory surface. This is where the exchange of air and carbon dioxide takes place.

The lungs contain approximately 300milliion alveoli.

The respiratory system cannot handle smoke. Smoke stops the motion of the cilia that line parts of the respiratory structures and increases the amount of mucus build up in air passages.

Normally, phagocytic macrophages ingest foreign particles, but when increased amounts of particles accumulate from smoking the macrophages can no longer handle the work and damage to lung tissue occurs.