Final answer:
A. Dalton's law
The process known as ventilation-perfusion coupling is essential for efficient gas exchange in the lungs. It involves the movement of air in the alveoli and the flow of blood in the capillaries matching efficiently to optimize gas exchange.
Step-by-step explanation:
The coupling of blood flow with the amount of air reaching the alveoli is known as ventilation-perfusion coupling. This is crucial for efficient gas exchange in the lungs, wherein ventilation refers to the movement of air into and out of the alveoli and perfusion relates to the flow of blood in the pulmonary capillaries. Factors like gravity effects, blocked alveoli, or diseases can cause imbalances, impacting this coupling.
In the context of gas laws affecting respiration, Dalton's law explains how each gas in a mixture exerts its partial pressure independently, which aids in the diffusion of oxygen and carbon dioxide across the respiratory membrane. In contrast, the Haldane effect describes how a low partial pressure of oxygen promotes hemoglobin to bind more readily to carbon dioxide.