Final answer:
Excess gas from the anesthesia machine is captured by a scavenging system and vented outside to avoid environmental and occupational hazards.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question where excess gas is released from the anesthesia machine refers to the safety mechanisms put in place to handle anesthetic gases that are not used by the patient. These excess gases are typically diverted away from the patient and the operating room to minimize occupational exposure and environmental impact. The correct path for the disposal of these gases is through a scavenging system which is designed to capture these gases and vent them outside the building, effectively preventing their accumulation in the operating room environment. So, the answer is not directly into the atmosphere, patients' lungs, or back into the anesthesia machine, but through a dedicated waste anesthetic gas disposal system which often leads to the outside atmosphere, being the proper way to handle these excess gases.