If the total surface area of alveoli in both lungs is nearly about thetennis courttotal surface area of athen how is it contained in our small lungs?
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Solution
When we inhale, the membranes of alveoli inside the lungs get blown up like balloons so that the surface area increases. Increase in surface area enhances better gas exchange.
Only in the alveoli does actual gas exchange takes place. There are some 300 million alveoli in two adult lungs. They have a large surface area in relation to volume. These provide a surface area of some 160 m2 which is almost equal to the singles area of a tennis court.
The alveoli are grouped together like a lot of interlinked caves, rather than existing as separate individual sacs.