A2.

05S

Student

Activity 2.5 Alveoli and lung surface area

Purpose
● To work out how the surface area of the lungs is greatly increased by the presence
of numerous alveoli.

Procedure
Use the interactive tutorial that accompanies this activity to compare the surface area of
lungs with and without alveoli. Alternatively, complete the calculations yourself using
this worksheet.
For these calculations we are assuming:
a) that the lungs are two perfect spheres
b) that each sphere has a radius of 89 mm, giving a volume of 3 dm3, 3 ×106 mm3
c) that the diameter of an alveolus is 0.25 mm.
We first find the surface area of these two spheres by working out:

1 Surface area of one sphere = 4πr2

= mm2
2 Surface area of the two spheres = answer to part (1) × 2

= mm2

We now calculate the surface area of an alveolus by working out:

3 Diameter of one alveolus = mm

4 Radius of one alveolus = diameter

2
= mm

5 Volume of one alveolus = 4/3 πr3

= mm3
6 Surface area of one alveolus = 4πr2

= mm2
To find out the surface area of all the alveoli that can fit into the two ‘sphere’ lungs you
must work out:
7 The number of alveoli that will fit into both the lungs
= volume of lungs/mm3
volume of one alveolus/mm3

= 6 × 106

= alveoli

Salters-Nuffield Advanced Biology, Pearson Education Ltd 2008. ©University of York Science Education Group. 1 of 2
This sheet may have been altered from the original.
 A2.05S
Activity 2.5 Alveoli and lung surface
Student

8 Surface area of the alveoli that will fit inside the lungs
= surface area of one alveolus x number of alveoli
= x

= mm2
Comparing the two
9 Surface area of the two spheres = mm2

10 Surface area of all the alveoli in the two spheres = mm2

Alveoli increase the surface area of the lungs times. (Divide the surface area with
alveoli by the surface area without alveoli to find the factor it has increased by.)

Questions
Q1 What assumptions have you made when estimating the surface area of the lungs in this
activity?
Q2 The actual surface area of a typical pair of human lungs is 60–80 m² but can be as much
as 140 m². This maximum lung surface area is closest to which of the following? Circle the
correct answer.
a a large dining table
b the floor of a small room
c a tennis court
d a football pitch
Q3 Does your estimate give a reasonably precise value for lung surface area? Explain your
answer.
Q4 Does your estimate give a reliable value for lung surface area? Explain your answer.
Q5 List the features of gas exchange surfaces and describe how they increase the rate of gas
exchange.

Salters-Nuffield Advanced Biology, Pearson Education Ltd 2008. ©University of York Science Education Group. 2 of 2
This sheet may have been altered from the original.