In both lungs, the surface that is the largest is the (a) costal, (b) mediastinal, (c) inferior (base), (d) superior (apex).
The respiratory system of humans is a network of organs and tissues that work together to help the process of breathing by taking in oxygen and leaving out carbon dioxide to the environment.
The system involves the following organs such as nose, mouth, trachea(wind pipe), Larynx, pharynx, bronchi, bronchioles and lungs.
Of these lungs are the important organ of the respiratory system that helps in the gaseous exchange through diffusion of gases.
The structure of the lung is described as follows.
Lungs are a pair of spongy air-filled organs of the respiratory system that are located on either side of the thorax as right and left lung separated by the mediastinum in between.
The lung is divided into lobes; the right lung has three lobes and is slightly larger in surface than the left lung that has only two lobes.
Each lung has lobes(3 in right and 2 in left, 2 ends and 3 positions.
The two ends are apex and base.
- Apex: It is the superior end of the lung that project upwards.
- Base: It is the inferior end of the lung that sits on the diaphragm.
The three surfaces are costal, mediastinal and diaphragmatic.
- The Costal surface is the one that faces the internal surface of the chest wall and is smooth and convex.
- The Mediastinal surface is the one that faces the lateral aspect of the mediastinum.
- The diaphragmatic surface(base of the lung) is the one that rests on the diaphragm. This surface is concave in shape.
In both the lungs, the costal surface that faces the chest wall is the largest surface.
The lungs provide gaseous exchange through tiny air sacs called the alveoli by the process of partial pressure diffusion of gases.
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