Final answer:
Emphysema is characterized by the destruction of alveoli walls, leading to increased lung compliance and reduced ability to expel air. The correct answer to the student's question is A) Alveoli, increased.
Step-by-step explanation:
Emphysema is a lung disease, often caused by smoking, where the walls of alveoli are damaged. This damage leads to larger alveolar sacs and a decrease in the surface area available for gas exchange. Consequently, emphysema results in increased lung compliance because the loss of elastic fibers leads to a decrease in lung elastic recoil, causing more air to be trapped in the lungs at the end of exhalation. The correct choice for filling in the blanks in the provided statement would be A) Alveoli, increased. This is because, in emphysema, alveoli are destroyed, and lung compliance is increased, which means the lungs can expand more easily, but the ability to expel air is compromised due to less elastic recoil.