What is the primary purpose of surfactant in the alveoli?

What is the primary purpose of surfactant in the alveoli?

Step 1: Understand what alveoli are. Alveoli are tiny air sacs in the lungs where gas exchange happens.
Step 2: Learn about surface tension. Surface tension is a force that makes the surface of a liquid behave like a stretched elastic sheet.
Step 3: Know what surfactant is. Surfactant is a substance that reduces surface tension.
Step 4: Recognize the role of surfactant in alveoli. Surfactant lowers the surface tension in the alveoli.
Step 5: Understand the importance of reducing surface tension. By reducing surface tension, surfactant prevents the alveoli from collapsing.
Step 6: Connect it to gas exchange. When alveoli stay open, they can effectively exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide.

No concepts available.