alleryStart learning →What is anatomical dead space?
AAir in alveoli that disease has made non-functional
BAir left in the lungs after a maximal exhalation
CAirway air that never reaches the alveoli at all
DAir moved into the lungs during a quiet breath
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: C. Airway air that never reaches the alveoli at all
1. Not all inhaled air reaches a gas exchange surface.
2. Anatomical dead space is the air sitting in the airway that never reaches the alveoli and so never takes part in gas exchange.
3. So the third option is correct.
4. Air inside alveoli that cannot function, for example because of disease or abnormal blood flow, is alveolar dead space, which is the first option's trap.
_Source: OpenStax Anatomy and Physiology (CC BY 4.0), Ch 22 "The Respiratory System", section 22.3 The Process of Breathing_
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