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OXYGEN Moves from the Air into the ALVEOLI and into the Blood Via... __ [ALL of These] Diffusion Active Transport Osmosis

Question

OXYGEN moves from the air into the ALVEOLI and into the blood via... __ [ALL of these] diffusion active transport osmosis

Answer

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Ulysses Master · Tutor for 5 years

Answer

Diffusion

Explanation

The main process that happens in the lungs during breathing is known as diffusion. Diffusion is when molecules move from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration. In the case of breathing, when you inhale, there's a higher concentration of oxygen in the alveoli than there is in the blood cells. Therefore, oxygen molecules naturally spread out and move from the air in the alveoli (where there's a relatively high concentration of oxygen) to the blood pulmonary capillaries (where there's a relatively low concentration of oxygen) via diffusion.Conversely, active transport is a process that involves the movement against a concentration gradient that requires energy, it is used for the transfer of ions or molecules.Lastly, osmosis is a type of diffusion, but it specifically involves the movement of water molecules through a semipermeable membrane from an area of high water concentration to an area of low water concentration.***In our case regarding oxygen transfer, active transport and osmosis are not the primary means. Oxygen does NOT move by means of active transport, as this process does not simply "spread out," but require energy, neither through osmosis as this process is specifically for water. Hence, not all of them represent the appropriate process.***