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In mechanical terms, our lungs can be described
as the site of gas exchange: Oxygen -- the fuel all the cells and organs of
our body need to function--is extracted there from the air we inhale and
infused into the bloodstream, to be distributed to other organs and tissues. With each exhalation, we dispose
of the carbon dioxide that is the by-product of our bodily processes. In our
lungs, in the course of a single day, an astonishing 8,000 to 9,000 liters of
breathed-in air meet 8,000 to 10,000 liters of blood pumped in by the heart
through the pulmonary artery. The lungs relieve the blood of its burden of waste
and return a refreshed, oxygen-rich stream of blood to the heart through the
pulmonary vein. |
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As you breathe in, your diaphragm contracts and flattens
out. This allows it to move down, so your lungs have more room to grow
larger as they fill up with air. Your rib muscles also lift the ribs
up and outward to give the lungs more space. |
The lungs are vital internal
organs that are protected by the rib cage. In the event of a trauma or
injury, pneumothorax can occur, whereby air in
the chest cavity can equalize the pressure in the
chest cavity with the outside air and cause the lungs to collapse.
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