Diffusion in Your Body
Your body relies on diffusion constantly, especially in your lungs and liver. In your lungs, blood arriving from your body is packed with CO₂ but low on oxygen. The clever design of alveoli (tiny air sacs) allows CO₂ to diffuse out into the air you breathe out, whilst oxygen diffuses from the air into your blood.
Your liver cells use diffusion differently. Urea (a waste product) builds up to high concentrations inside liver cells, then diffuses out into nearby blood vessels. From there, your kidneys filter it out completely.
Every single cell in your body depends on diffusion for survival. Oxygen diffuses into cells where it's needed for respiration, whilst CO₂ (the waste product) diffuses out to be carried away by your blood.
Real-world connection: This is why exercise makes you breathe harder - your cells need more oxygen and produce more CO₂!