Final answer:
Oxygen is transferred to the body's cells by diffusing from the alveoli into the capillaries of the lungs, where it binds to hemoglobin in red blood cells. It is then transported throughout the body, where it is used by tissues and carbon dioxide is taken up and transported back to the lungs to be exhaled. The correct answer to the student's question is option 'b'
Step-by-step explanation:
How Oxygen is Transferred to the Body's Cells
The oxygen we inhale gets transferred to the body's cells through a series of steps involving the respiratory and circulatory systems. Once in the lungs, oxygen moves from the alveoli, which are tiny air sacs, into the bloodstream. This process occurs by simple diffusion, where oxygen passes through the thin walls of the alveoli into the surrounding capillaries. These capillaries are filled with red blood cells, which contain a molecule called hemoglobin that binds to oxygen.
From the lungs, the oxygen-rich blood is transported back to the heart, where it is then pumped throughout the body to various tissues and cells. As the blood moves through the body's capillaries, oxygen is released from hemoglobin and diffuses into body cells.
At the same time, carbon dioxide, a waste product of cellular respiration, diffuses from the cells into the blood. This carbon dioxide is then carried back to the lungs, where it is expelled during exhalation.
The correct answer to the student's question is option 'b': It transfers from the alveoli in the lungs to the red blood cells in capillaries which help it move through the body. This exchange is crucial for maintaining the high concentration gradient necessary for gas exchange and is an ongoing cycle that supports cellular respiration and energy production in the body.