Chapter 1, Problem 57PP

Calculating Lung Volume in Humans. In human lungs, oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged in the blood within many small sacs called alveoli. Alveoli provide a large surface area for gas exchange. Recent careful measurements show that the total number of alveoli in a typical human lung pair is about 480 × 10⁶ and that the average volume of a single alveclus is 4.2 × 10⁶ μm³. (Recall the equation for the volume of a sphere, V = $\frac{4}{3}$πr³ and the equation for the area of a sphere. A = 4 πr².)

57. What is the total volume of the gas-exchanging region of the lungs?

1. A.    2000 μm³
2. B.     2m³
3. C.     2.0 L
4. D.    120 L