blood-gas exchange

Blood-gas exchange occurs primarily in the lungs, where oxygen from inhaled air passes into the blood, and carbon dioxide, a waste product, moves from the blood into the lungs to be exhaled. This process involves tiny, thin blood vessels called capillaries surrounding the alveoli (air sacs). Oxygen diffuses through the alveolar walls into the blood, attaching to hemoglobin in red blood cells. Simultaneously, carbon dioxide moves from the blood into the alveoli to be exhaled. This exchange ensures efficient oxygen delivery to tissues and removal of carbon dioxide, vital for maintaining the body's internal balance and proper function.